Long Story Short
by Pandalf
Summary: Reader Insert... You reminisce on the times spent by you, Noctis, and Prompto. Even still you can remember the time shared with Gladiolus and Ignis as well. You only had 195 days left. How were they spent? Coming of age; Slice of Life; Romance (smut later); Friendship; Adventure; Past, Present and Future.
1. In the Beginning

**Note:** Though one can dream, I do not own any part of Final Fantasy!

This story will be very "Slice of Life." It will focus on day by day life significantly more than actual Final Fantasy-ish stuff. The way I plan to write it will span before during and after the main story.

So even if in the first few chapters there are none, i'll still say **SPOILER WARNING** just to be safe.

Category: Friendship, Adventure, Romance, Fluff (will most likely get smutty at times), Action, Comfort, Slice of Life

.

 **Cypress Park : 11:54 : 196 days**

"Tell me why we're doing this again?" The voice of Noctis could be heard.

"It's gonna make you look like a total badass, now hold still!" You reply sternly.

"This smells weird. I don't like it."

"Stop moving, Noct! You're gonna spill it!"

The time was 11:54pm, well past the curfew of a young prince. Especially one with school in the morning. The stars were out in the millions tonight, and they were shining on all of those beneath them. The midnight blue sky further illuminated the bright lucid balls of white. The weather was too hot for a jacket, but too cold for short sleeves. Still, that didn't stop you from wearing your strapless white shirt. There was an empty park that sat two young kids. They were about 17 years old. It was you and Noctis.

He sat on the cold black metal bench under a large tree of fallen multicolored leaves. You sat beside the boy with your legs tucked beneath your thighs. Certainly when you stood up you'd be sporting some nice vertical bench scars from the metal pressing deep into your uncovered covered legs. There were few lights on in the green meadow, and if not directly under one it was hard to see who was around.

"Last one." You dipped the brush of the nail polish wand back in and painted his final fingernail. Whisking the brush on each side, you'd evenly coat the nail, "Done!"

The boy outstretched his hand and looked at the freshly layered black nails, "I'm taking it off."

"No!" You shoot him a serious look. "Come on, it looks cool. Just keep it on for a day? Pleeeeease?" You poke out your bottom lip to a pout and widen your eyes.

"Oh wow, you're really doing this right now? The sad puppy look? I have school tomorrow. I'm gonna look stupid."

Twisting the cap back on the polish you cock your head to the side, "Since when do you care about how other's view you?"

The boy stood up from the bench, "I don't, and that includes you. So I'm taking it off."

"Stop it!" You yell at the boy as he runs opposite your direction.

You catch up to the raven haired boy and jump on his back, "Leave it! I'm gonna bite you if you don't stop playing around!"

"Quit it! Ouch! That's my ear! Would you get off of me!" Noct aimlessly ran around trying to get you off his back.

As the boy scrambled around, his eyes caught the sight of a familiar face. His laughing ceased, and so did yours.

"What?" You whispered.

The sneaky boy backed away from the spotlight and into a less radiant area of the park. Noct rose his eyebrows, "Tall, dark, and ready to kick my ass at 10:00."

Ah, yes. Who else would it be than Gladiolus of course. The tall young man was just a few yards away, and by the scowl on his face you could tell that he was definitely ready to wring some necks. Yes, Noctis was independent and on his own, but that didn't mean he wasn't checked up on every now and then... especially when he and the big guy had plans to hang out.

Slowly you climb off of the boy's back and look over his shoulder. To be honest, you weren't worried at all. He could be easily outwitted in a heavily wooded park like this.

"We are so dead if he catches us." The boy's blue eyes shot back at you.

"We?" Your tone of whisper heightens. "He doesn't know me. Hell, I have nothing to do with this. For all he knows I'm just some punk kid who's staying out late."

The words you spoke were true. When it came to the royals, the only one you knew was Noctis. It wasn't his doing keeping you away from his family, it was your own. You did your best to distance yourself from the kingdom and anyone involved. You had your reasons, and quite frankly, they made Noctis a bit weary at times.

He looked back at you, and it was rare for the boy to make the face he was currently making. He wasn't a person of too many facial expressions, but the one he had now always meant trouble for you. With his eyebrows raised high and his eyes opened wide, you shook your head before you even heard his plan.

"Nope, I'm not doing it." You began to quietly creep away.

"Just go out there as a distraction while I run home. Come on. You said it yourself, he doesn't even know you."

"Noct I have to get home."

"Come on." There was a tinge of irritation in his voice. "Just come back to my place and after everything calms down and I'll let you drive the Regalia."

Ooh, he was playing hardball, and it was one you considered striking out for. Pursing you lips, you shove the boy, "Fine, but you owe me more that a damn ride, you hear me?"

Waiting for the perfect moment, Noct began to inch away, and you hysterically ran into the light.

Putting your thumb and index finger to your lips, you whistled loudly. "Benedict!" You searched around frantically.

Turning left and right, your wavy black skirt blew in the wind created by your running. "Oh no no no no! Benedict where are you?!"

Dropping to your knees, you place a hand over your mouth and shake your head. "This can't be happening."

"A-are you okay?"

Bingo! It was the voice of Gladiolus completely on cue.

Looking up, you revealed to him your teary eyes, "It's my dog. I lost him. He was the cutest little thing. He could fit right in the palm of your hand."

The man extended his hand and helped you up. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Can you please help me find him? I've had him for 8 years! That's almost half my life! He's all I know!" You wiped the glistening tear of deceit from your cheek.

The man turned around as he heard a rustling in the trees. His eyes could make out the figure of a person running away. Yes it was dark, but there was only few people who'd be out in this park late at night, and even fewer who'd have that ever so luminous red at the bottom of their shoes.

"Hey!" Gladiolus yelled at the person. "I know that's you Noc-"

Before the big man ran away, you grabbed his forearm and pulled him back. "W-wait. I think I see him over here!"

The man turned to you and... what was that? Were you really doing the sad puppy look twice in one night? Yes, yes you were. Worst part about it was that it played on the man's sympathies more than it does with Noctis.

"Damn." He sighed under his breath. "C'mon."

The two of you ran in the direction opposite the rebel prince. You had no honest clue where you were going, but you had to get him away from where he was. Suddenly your eyes catch a glimpse of a large bloodhound running your way. What a miracle it was that you could get out of this lie, finally.

"Benedict! It's you!" You shouted and released your grip on the man. "Thank you so much! You helped me find him!"

The random stray tackled you into the grass and relentlessly licked your face. Who's dog was this?

"You're welcome?" The young man scratched his head. "I thought you said he could... 'fit in the palm of your hand.' Also... 'he' is missing some things. Are you sure this is your dog?"

Pushing the dog away, you nervously laugh, "No, no. Not MY hand, I meant your hand. He could fit in the palm of YOUR hand. Heh heh." _Nice save idiot._

You looked at the dog and noticed that, yup, he was in fact a she. You put two fictitious hands to your cheeks, "Benedict! You're a girl?! I can't believe it! I just thought that's what neutered dogs looked like! Crazy how you can be around something so long and not even know the secrets hiding right under your nose."

The suspicious man slightly scowled under his breath, "For eight years?"

Gladio knew if that person indeed was Noctis, he was long gone by now. There was no sense dwelling on it. He'd give the dog a couple pets and smile back at you.

"Glad you're reunited now. Name's Gladiolus by the way." He drew out his hand for a handshake.

Smiling, you shake his hand and simultaneously attempt to calm down this insistent dog. "Good to meet you. I would tell you my name, but mother always told me to never tell my name to a stranger. If you meet twice, then they're an acquaintance worthy of notation. So, until we meet again Gladiolus."

The two of you part, and you walk away fuming. Not only did you barely make it out of a lie, but now you had to walk back to Noct's place, and you had a dog following you.

"You owe me big time princess." You mumble under your breath...

.

 **Apartment : 11:22am : 195 days**

It was the next day, or, closer to noon really. Your eyes barely cracked open as you woke up to the delicious smell of a hearty meal. You couldn't help but smile as it was a rarity for the prissy noble to actually cook. Even if he did it was usually some kind of instant food.

You rose from the guest bed with your hair tangled and matted. You wore a plain white shirt that showed just a bit of midriff and pink gingham pajama shorts as you exited the room. You were so tired you didn't even remember getting changed into this... or coming over for that matter. As you opened the door the scent got stronger and closer. The sound of sizzling meat filled your ears, and the smell further enveloped your nostrils. Your mouth literally watered at the thought of tasting the cuisine.

You sleepily turned the corner and yawned as you spoke. "On your lunch break kinda early aren't... you..?"

Your words slowed down as you were faced with a strange man in the kitchen. Normally you'd attempt to take off the head of any stranger invading private property, but this man cleaned up the place, and it was he who was cooking.

In fact, you noticed the dog from the night before in the corner chomping away on food that looked much better than anything you'd ever eaten at home.

You furrow your brows as you hesitantly check out the food. "Who are you?"

The man turned around startled by your voice. Ignis Scientia had long worked for King Regis and his family, but you'd never met him.

The man was calm on the outside, but inside he was ready to pounce if you tried anything funny. "I have worked for the Lucis Caelum family for quite some time now. I've seen you when picking up Noct a few times but we've never properly met. Ignis is the formality."

"Oh, right." You spewed your words in the most nonchalant manner. To be honest you didn't remember seeing him at all. Either your memory was terrible or he was much more observant than you.

He was confused. Why did the boy never mention you or bring you home? "You've never come home with him."

"Yeah, well we hang outside a lot. I don't really like going over people's houses so that's probably why we never met."

It was strange to hear you say that as you were literally in his place of residence as you spoke. You walk toward the man and notice that he has his hands completely full. He was simultaneously making lunch, preparing a dessert, and cleaning as he went.

You lean over the counter with your arms folded at its edge. "So, can I help?"

He was kind of taken aback by your offer. He stopped whisking the mixture in the bowl and just stared at you a moment. He wasn't meaning to be rude, but he wasn't expecting you to offer your services.

"Do you know how to whisk?" The man outstretched his arms with the bowl.

Receiving the glass dish, you picked up where he left off. "Yes, I know how to motion my arm in a circle." You rolled your eyes and poked fun of his profession a bit.

"Good, because I need you to continue that for the next 5 minutes." He'd tend back to the food on the stove.

You walked over to the stove and completely invaded the man's personal space as you attempted to get a better look at the food. Your elbow lightly tapped into his side as you continued to stir.

"So you like cooking?" You start as you look up to the man beside you.

He'd not shoo you from his space, but his body language suggested he wanted you to move back a little. "Yes, it is quite relaxing. I do enjoy it and the smile it puts on the faces of the people I serve."

Backing away, you hop up and sit on the counter opposite the stove. "That's cool. I don't really know how to cook. Wanna teach me?" You chuckled from your jocular tone.

"I'm always willing to teach those interested in the culinary arts. What is your availability?"

Your laughing stopped as he was being completely serious. You had an interest in cooking, but you didn't want to commit to lessons. "Um, yeah. Well I'm free tomorrow, maybe?"

The sandy blond sighed at your words. "Actually I meant long term. Unless you only want to learn one recipe?"

"No, no." You stop stirring. "I've got an open schedule. I just didn't want to infringe. As fun as teaching a perfect stranger to cook is, I'm sure you want your free time."

The man clamped the meat on the stove with his tongs and placed it on a nearby plate. "Don't worry about it. I cook lunch for the prince everyday. Whenever you choose to drop in and learn is up to you. How's that sound?"

As you whisked the mixture in your arms, your eyes focused in on the time displayed from the microwave. You'd without a word set the glass bowl down and hop off the counter. You seemed to be in a panic like you'd forgotten something.

"Shit!" You whispered loudly.

"Is everything alright?" Ignis yelled to you as you sped off to the guest room once again.

"Yes!" Your brain barely registered what he'd even said. You opened the closet and took a pair of Noctis' unused clothes out. Slipping the odd fitting garbs on, you were headed out the door.

"Sorry I can't stay! I totally forgot I'm late for something! But yes! Open schedule is perfect! It's a date. Well, not a date but you know what I mean." You rolled your eyes at your own words as you whistled to the dog. "Come on Benedict!"

You didn't know why you were still hanging around this dog, or calling it Benedict for that matter. You just felt some responsibility for her though, and leaving her at Noct's place just didn't seem right.

"Okay, bye. See ya when I see ya!"

.

 **Maple Leaf Garden : 12:35pm : 195 days**

You are sitting by your lonesome twiddling with the small red diamond necklace around your neck. It was the size of an eraser head, and by far the most expensive thing you owned. When it came to the necklace, honestly, you'd rather live in ignorance about the price tag. If you knew, you'd probably never wear it in fear of losing it.

Benedict ran freely on the grassy hill, and you just watched her. You were enjoying the balmy end of Summer weather on a bench overlooking the town below. You focus back to the excited dog, and you sigh to yourself.

Your eyes shift to the right but your head stays still. There is a person sitting on the other end of the bench. Your breathing slows and your saliva thickens.

They are covered head to toe in a thick black cloth. The only part of their skin that is visible is around their piercing daffodil eyes.

The person is peers out at the distance. "Look forward." Their raspy voice demands you, and like clockwork, you comply. "You're late."

Your thumb nail slowly digs into the backside of your hand from the nerves. Taking a deep breath, you hesitantly reply. "I'm sorry. I was just..."

"You're getting too close to that family. Do you really wish to open Pandora's box so soon?" The black hooded person picks a tiny white daisy from the side of the bench and a chilling laugh bellows from their throat. "195 days."

They stand up from the bench and begin their leave. "195 exactly and not a day more. I'm setting sail to Altissia. When I return, be ready, and pray you are not late again."

As the person walked away you were left with a feeling of unease. Threats were all well and good, but this was something different. This was the reason you never went home with Noctis to meet the family or vice versa. He was your best friend of 6 years and yet he knew so little about you.

Just as you take a sigh of relief, you feel two hands press down on your shoulders, and a chin dig slightly into the top of your head. "Guess whooooo?"

You quickly extend your arms and push the head of said person off of you. You yell in a slightly shaky voice "Prompto! What the hell? You scared me half to death!"

The boy bounced around to the front of the bench and sat beside you. "Oops. Shouldn't you be in school right now?"

You simultaneously narrow your eyes and raise a brow, "Shouldn't you?"

"I did go!" He'd reply defensively. "Anyway, I saw what you did to Noct's hands and I want it too. Blacken my nails, if you would."

You put a hand over your mouth and chuckle, "He actually went to school like that? I thought he'd chicken out!"

The request from Prompto finally set in, and you got a bit quiet. "I can paint them for you. Just give me your hand. But don't look. I want it to be a surprise."

You pulled out the nail polish from a small brown shoulder bag. It was genuine leather with two straps in the front to secure the inside.

The boy put his hand in yours and you began to paint. These were the times you'd remember most fondly when reminiscing on your youth. It was the little things that made you happy.

You'd look at the boy with a bit of a pout, "Hey, you do realize you can pay someone to get this done? I'm not the only one in Insomnia who knows how to paint nails Prompto."

You motioned to the boy, beckoning him over. "Gimmie your other hand, and no peeking!"

He'd blindly lead his right hand into your grasp. "Why would I pay when I've got you? Put those hands to good use for once."

"For once?!" You lightly backhand the freckled boy's cheek. The hit wasn't too hard, but but his sensitive skin reddened accordingly.

Tossing his hand away, you put the tiny bottle back into your bag. You'd put the brown pack on your shoulder and slowly walk away from the bench. "Okay, you can look now Mr. Badass number 2."

Prompto grit his teeth as he looked at you. "Um, why are you leaving?" His focal point changed and he looked at the glistening Barbie pink nail polish coated ever so brightly against his pale skin.

His lips pursed to one side as he nodded in acceptance. "Oh, that's why you were leaving." The small framed boy stood up from the bench. "Because I'm going to kill you!"

His spiky blond hair blew back in the breeze as he chased after you. Down the large hill you ran until the arms of the young gunner tackled you to the ground. With his pale arms wrapped around you, you both began to laugh hysterically.

He'd bury his face into your shoulder and continue to bust a gut. As you were brought to tears, nothing in the world could rip you down from this kind of high.

Yes, it was definitely times like these that you'd remember most fondly.

"Get off of me Prompto." You giggled uncontrollably. "I need to go to the store."

The boy of course did the exact opposite of what you asked and squeezed you tighter, "Not until I get nail polish remover!"

"No! Let me go!" Your voice strained as you broke free of his grasp. "It brings out your eyes. Don't you wanna look pretty for all the girl's you'll be hitting on?"

"Hey, you don't know that for sure." He'd defensively cross his arms as he continued to lay in the grass.

Standing over the blond with a leg on each side, you shake your head disappointingly. "Prompto, I think that even death can't hold a candle to you when it comes to life's guarantees."

You started to walk away, and the blond grabbed a hold of your black cashmere shorts. "Are these Noct's? Did you guys have a sleepover and not tell me?"

Raising your hand you swat him away. "Yes, and yes. Didn't you know? Noctis and I are becoming a duo again. You are officially kicked out of the 3 Amigos."

As you swung your leg around to step back over the boy, he'd grab your ankle and pull you to the ground. "Don't lie to me!"

Again, you start to laugh at the priceless exchange between you and Prompto. "Calm down! I'm only kidding. I don't know what I'd do with myself if I had to hang out with either of you by myself all the time."

The boy finally stood up from the ground and lent you a helping hand. "Come on. You said you had to go to the store right? Let's go!"

"W-wait I meant..." You couldn't get your words out as the boy already started taking off down the hill.

You put a hand on the strap of your purse and pressed forward. Honestly, you just wished so badly you could tell either him or Noctis what was going on in your life, but you'd rather them not be involved. If you couldn't tell your best friends what was going on with you, then who could you tell? Perhaps it was all for the best.

"Benedict!" You yelled out and she was nowhere in sight. Damn dog wasn't even yours, she had the right to run away didn't she? No! She didn't! She was yours now and you were beginning to pour emotion into her.

"Where are you girl?" Out of nowhere the large hound tackled you again. You face planted straight into the grass and groaned. "Good girl. Let's go get you a leash."

"You have a dog?!" The excited blond yelled as he sprinted back up the hill.

"Well, not exactly." You stiffened up as the brown dog showered you in kisses. "She's not mine, but I'm just taking care of her. I don't even know her name."

The boy pressed his nose against the dog's and held its face. "You're so cuuuuute!"

"Do I have to get a leash for you too Prompt? Come on, I need to pick up some stuff."

.

 **Supermarket : 1:59pm : 195 days**

You were now inside the two story 24 hour supermarket named Tsuki Marketplace. Benedict calmed down as she walked beside you. You were truly hoping nothing would set her off, or even better, that her owners would show up.

"So what are we shopping for?" Prompto skipped around down the isles. He attempted not to dive right into the chocolate sandwich spread as you passed by, but his eyes certainly wandered.

"Ummm. I'm noooot suuuuure." Your words stretched out as you walked past each lane.

You were looking for the ingredients to a dessert you'd had once before in your youth. The problem was, you didn't know what it was called, or even what it remotely looked like. Very faintly you could remember the taste, but that was all.

You shrugged, "A distant memory, I guess?" You put a bag of granulated sugar in your hand cart and continued forward.

The boy nodded and a smug look molded his face. "I know what it is."

You could literally feel his personality radiating into a physical heat as you turned to look at him. He couldn't try to hide his smile if he tried.

"What the hell is that look?" You pushed his face away.

"You're getting sweet on Noct and you're gonna make his favorite dessert for him." The boy's face changed to a bit melancholy as he heard his own words out loud. "Wait a minute, that means what you said earlier was true. You really are gonna become the 2 amigos... or the 2 amantes (lovers).."

You'd literally stop in the middle of the isle with a look of discontent on your face. "Make sense for a second would you? First of all, I wouldn't wait 6 years to pull the moves on Noctis if I truly wanted him. Second, I like older men. Third, thanks for making it awkward asshole."

The boy gave you a tight squeeze from the side, "Aww! I knew I had nothing to worry about!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." You you pat the boy with the arm the wasn't pressed against him. "If anything, Noct should be worried about us running off and getting hitched."

"Oh, and why is that?" He crossed his arms as he stepped in front of you.

"Because we're both two jackasses on the fast track to dying alone." You laughed at your own words, "I'm talking abandoned freeways with no speed limit kind of fast."

Prompto lightly shoulder bumped you, "Maybe you are, but I'm not. I've already got a date to the Winter Formal."

The Winter Formal was not a school related event, however, it attracted many of those who were high school age and older. It is an extravagant annual celebration held on the first day of winter. Men, women, boys, and girls come from all over Insomnia to celebrate the joyous occasion. It wasn't uncommon for one to attend alone, however it is highly recommended that one show up with a partner to maximize their experience.

You stop at the end of the isle and look at the proud boy. "Wait, what? I thought we said weren't going! We were gonna stay behind! As a trio!"

The boy shook his head fiercely, "That was if we couldn't find dates."

You were mentally strangling the blond in your mind. How could he? "You're telling me this now? At the 11th hour? Winter Formal is in 2 weeks you little dipshit!"

You cool down and take a deep breath. "Fine. Who's the fool that said yes to you?"

Oh how his eyes glistened upon the mention of his date. "You should know. You sit right next to her in homeroom."

Your jaw dropped upon hearing this news. The person he referred to was a very popular girl who 9 out of 10 times didn't even notice Prompto. "How in the hell did you manage that? Even Noctis can't get that girl to breathe in his direction, and he's the prince for crying out loud!"

"W-well... she didn't exactly say yes yet. But I've been leaving her little notes here and there." The boy's cheeks turned a bright shade of pink.

You shook your head as you stood in line to check out. Paying for a leash and a few raw ingredients, you walk back outside with Benedict and Prompto.

"You're so hopeless. I knew there was no way." An evil Grinch-like smile sullied its way onto your face. "Let's make a bet to see who gets a date first. When I win, I want you to shave your precious head Goldilocks."

Prompto grabbed his head and shielded his darling canary hair from you. "No way! What kind of? What? No!"

You put the leash onto Benedict's collar and shrugged your shoulders. "Shame, because you could have asked anything from me. Dye my hair. Eat grass for a week. Shave MY head... Oh well."

"Wait!" The short boy narrowed his eyes. "Alright, alright. When I win, you have to get a tattoo of my name. It can be anywhere, but it's gotta be first and last name."

He was much more evil than you gave him credit for. "You are so on! I hope you enjoy looking like a new armed forces recruit."

You extended you hand for a handshake and the boy solidified it. It was official; two weeks from now either Prompto would have a shaved head, or you would have his name permanently inked on your skin.

The blond smiled a toothy grin, "Let the games begin my friend!"


	2. Let's Be Honest

**Cypress Park : 11:28am : 189 days**

It had been precisely 6 days since you made your bet with Prompto. Try as you might at school, the fish just weren't biting. Now with the weekend at your disposal, you would definitely find a date in no time. You wore your white and red trimmed lounge shorts with a red sports bra. Truth be told, you were much more of a sweatpants and baggy shirt kinda gal, but these were desperate times.

Had your shorts been hiked up any further your ass cheeks would be on full display. You wanted attention, but not too much. Wrapping Benedict's blue leash around your hand, you began your light jog around the running track. This was the perfect time for runners to be out, and the perfect time for you to sink your claws into an unsuspecting bystander.

As you jogged around, you noticed that most of the people in the park were other girls. While you COULD ask another girl to go with you, that wasn't exactly what you were looking for. _My goodness if this wasn't the thirstiest thing you'd ever done!_

Like a terminator your eyes locked in on a man running the track. He looked about your age and like a candidate just worthy enough for this ploy. Speeding up you jog, you look down at your phone and loosen your grip on the leash. Acting as though you weren't paying attention, you run toward the man with the tether fully extended.

This was it! As soon as his legs wrapped in the leash you were going to take a dive onto the ground and wing it from there. Your eyes look up at the last moment to see the quick thinking man hop over the strap and onto the other side.

The athletic man smiled obliviously, "That was close, haha!" He'd give a half wave and continue on for just a few feet until he ran into another jogger behind him.

You were literally fuming as the two laughed merrily on the ground and introduced themselves. Just your luck of course. Your demise is another's joyous beginning.

"Fuck this." You growl under your breath literally simmering from what just happened.

You look down as you feel Benedict tugging at the leash. "What now? You better be leading me to some sexy single guy who is just as desperate as I am."

The bloodhound didn't give you but a second more to think about letting her lead you. She'd begin to run toward whatever it is she wanted and broke free from your loose grip.

Running after the dog, you could see her dart off past all of the bushes. "Benedict! Wait!" You clawed your way through the thorny shrubs.

You could hear her bark excitedly on the other side and you grumble, "This better be worth it."

"Hey there girl." A close voice behind the bushes spoke to your dog. "This what you want?"

You'd finally make your way through all of the bramble and see what was on the other side. Your legs were marked with vertical scratches, and old dried twigs were now adorning your hair.

"Well if it isn't you." A man's voice greeted you.

You weren't the best with memorizing faces and names, but this you didn't forget. "Gladiolus? Is this the only park in Insomnia you loiter?"

He was kneeling down to give your dog what was left of his sandwich. The man was dressed for a run as well with his black long sleeved compression shirt and jogging pants. You remembered him being pretty big, but with all the chicanery taking place that night you didn't even really notice until now.

Impressed, the man rose his eyebrows and nodded, "You actually remembered my name. Speaking of which, I do believe you owe me yours."

"Right." You mumbled as you picked the small twigs from your hair. "It's.." You leaned in close and whispered in his ear.

"Cute, but why so secretive about a name?" He'd stand back to his full height and remind you that you were just a puny ant in his world.

"Because it's my name." You crossed your arms and turned slightly away with a bit of sass "You only get one and I don't want strangers finding out who I am."

"So you won't let a person know your name but you'll get half-naked in a public park? Makes sense."

"Whoa! I am not half naked!" You put up a stern finger. "This is professional jogging attire!"

"Yeah, okay. I'm just giving you crap. So what do you want me to call you then... if not by your first name?"

You shrugged, "Whatever tickles your fancy. I've gotten anything from 'Cutie Pie' to 'The Great Anak' so shoot for the stars."

The man laughed mercilessly at the Anak nickname. He'd place a hand on each knee and try to regain focus. "T-the Great Anak?! That's rich! Maybe that'd be a good nickname for me, but you?"

If your eyes rolled any further you'd probably be blind. "Stupid nickname, I know. I had a 'massive' 2 inch growth spurt between the summer of my first and second year of high school. I was proud of it so of course I bragged... being completely unimpressed, one of my friends gave me shit for it. Hell, he still does."

Gladio shook his head, "That's some friend." He placed a hand under his stubbly chin, "Well, since Cutie Pie is already taken, I guess I'll have to call you Half-Pint."

Cocking your head to the right, you raise your eyebrows completely unenthusiastic. "Aren't you just a charmer? You do realize I'm not actually short right? I'm what you'd consider average. You're just massive."

"Massive?" He placed his index finger to his lips. "Your definition of massive is a lot different than mine. You said your dog could fit in the palm of my hand. How old is she again? 9 years?"

Oh he wasn't going to catch you in this lie. You may have forgotten what you ate for dinner last night, but you definitely remembered the details of this lie you told.

"8 years actually." You shot him a snarky look that was practically begging him to quiz you on this.

"Oh, right. Crazy how you didn't know she was a girl for that long though."

You ruffled the excited dog's short fur. "Funny story. I went home and asked my mom about that. She said Benedict got into some weird accident with a power line as a puppy. Sadly it was bye bye manhood."

Your red manicured hand pat Gladio on his not surprisingly rock solid arm, "Anyway, I've gotta get going. I have some business to attend to. Good seeing you again."

As you walked away the man looked over his shoulder at you. "Half-Pint."

"Yo?" You walked backwards as you spoke to him.

"I saw a picture of you at Noct's place the other day."

You'd give him a thumbs up, "So you know I'm full of shit then?"

Gladio grinned widely with a nod, "Completely full of shit."

You'd ease that second thumb up and stop in your tracks, "Great. Um, maybe we could start over?"

"That'd be nice." The man crossed his arms discerningly.

"My name is actually my name. That much I didn't lie about. Dog's not mine and the night I ran into you I may or may not have been trying to distract you." You take a coy stance and look away from him with bashful eyes.

"Is it too late to change your nickname to Shifty?" Gladio advanced toward you.

"Oh come on, I'm not shifty." You placed a hand on each side of your hips. "Let me make it up to you." Your eyes looked around at the nearby shops lining the park, "Let me buy you a drink?"

He'd shake his head, "No. But you can make it up to me by letting me buy you one."

"Nu-uh." You crossed your arms defensively. "If I buy you a drink it's just two people hanging out. If you buy me a drink then it's a date."

He'd beam an ever so charming grin your way. "What? You afraid to go on a date?"

It wasn't that the man wasn't your type or anything, you just didn't want to get attached to anyone in Noctis' inner circle. There was an unwritten rule in your mind that anyone tied to the prince was completely off limits, and that included Gladio.

"I am not afraid of going on a date!" Your eyes widen, "But that's not what this is, so I'm buying you a drink and I'd like to see you try to stop me."

"So feisty." Gladio purred. He wouldn't press this issue for now, but when the time came he'd take you up on your challenge.

The two of you walked to the nearby pressed juicery just walking distance away.

"So how come I've never met you before? You from here?" Gladio started.

"Yeah, I'm from here alright. You didn't meet me because I'm very selective about who I talk to."

"I believe it considering how secretive you are about your name. So now I'm worthy of talking to you?"

"Stop it." You lightly punch the man's arm. "It's not about worthiness. I'd rather have a tight inner circle than a ton of acquaintances."

Finally you walk up to the small establishment and tie Benedict to a pole outside. You reach inside your purse and give the dog a treat. "We'll be right back girl."

As you walk up to the clear glass door Gladio reaches for the door and you shoo his hand away. "I got it." You look up at the man with a titillating grin, "Wouldn't want you to think this is a date or anything."

He'd run a hand through his hair and chuckle at your words. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

The two of you walk over to the counter and you place your order. "Hello. Can I get a aegir root juice and..." You looked back at the man, "What do you want?"

His eyes narrowed at the menu. "I'll get the cleigne wheat grass."

He was really going to punish you for paying wasn't he? That drink was rather expensive, but you wouldn't complain. You reached for your money in your purse, and by the time you looked up you saw the cashier with Gladio's card in her hand. Without much thinking you snatched the card from her.

"Sorry, I agreed to pay today. Use this." You'd hold out your sleek black card and give an apologetic smile.

The big man took your card from your hand as well as his own. "No, no. She's mistaken. I got this."

He attempted to hand the card over and you jump up attempting to grab it. "Don't fight me on this! I wanna pay!"

Sighing, the man lifted you up over his shoulder and handed the woman his card. "Sorry about all this."

Your eyes amplify as he lifts you off your feet. You squirm around and try to pull down the bottom of your shorts. They were already up high and you weren't in the business of flashing your ass to the world.

The cashier slid his card and he'd set you back on the ground. "Jerk ass." You stick your tongue out at the man.

"You two are very cute." The cashier laughed as she handed Gladio his card back.

"Us? We're not cute! I don't even know him! Cute is a metaphorical island that both he and I could not possibly reach!" The vein in your forehead popped out just a tad.

"Stop being such a tight ass." The man teased you.

You'd sit at a table tucked away in the corner and hope that the other few customers hanging around didn't just see what happened.

"I'm only a tight ass because..." You rested your chin in your hand as you looked away from the man. You honestly had no good reason.

"That's what I thought." His amber eyes zeroed in on you. There was something interesting about this wall you were putting up, and the more you resisted, the more likely he was to tease you.

You were hesitant to tell him that you were looking for a date to the Winter Formal. It was embarrassing. Putting yourself out there just to get rejected time and time again was rough. It wasn't that people blatantly denied you, but they were either too oblivious or had a date already. Still he didn't need to know all of that.

"I just have stuff to do today."

His eyes turned away to see that your drinks were finished. He'd walk over to the counter and grab both. Giving you yours the man could still see the deceit in your eyes. Just what the hell were you hiding?

"What do you have against me?" The man cocked his head.

"I don't have anything against you. I just don't know you yet."

He'd nod in acceptance, although he was everything but accepting of this answer. "How do you ever expect to get to know someone if you don't give them the time of day?"

You'd open your arms, "What do you call this? You should feel very special Gladiolus."

He'd lean back in his seat and you couldn't help but look at his bulky biceps. He wasn't the average guy walking these streets. Someone in your position would count themselves lucky, but not you. You found yourself wondering what kind of man he was, and if you perhaps should give him a chance. Nope, you couldn't let your mind wander. You had to nip this in the bud.

Your eyes trailed away. You did your best not to look at him, but you could definitely feel him burning a hole in you. You knew that if you just didn't react to his advances he'd probably back off, but you couldn't help yourself.

"I have to go!" You blurted out.

"Right, because you have stuff to do?" He'd mock you.

"Ha-ha." You placed your palms on the table. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" You walked to the exit and the man followed.

He'd open the door for you, and honestly you were too tired to argue. Still, in the back of your mind you were screaming _'this isn't a date!'_

Taking Benedict's leash back in your hand you'd look back over at the tall man. In a way, you felt bad for giving him such a hard time, but hey, he could handle it. Not only that, it was for good reason. One he'd thank you for later.

You extended your arm for a handshake and smile. "Well, this has been a time Mr. Gladiolus."

He'd not shake your hand but instead ruffle your hair. "Yeah, it has. I'll catch you later Shifty... I mean Half-Pint. You can just call me Gladio by the way."

You frowned as you fixed your hair, "Yeah, why don't I just call you big dick!"

Ooh, yeah... that line definitely sounded a lot less sexual in your head. It was like the universe was taunting your life at this point.

The man would not react beyond giving you a smug grin and a wave goodbye. He understood what you meant, but he equally understood what it sounded like and it was tickling.

You could finally take a sigh of relief as he walked away. Maybe if circumstances were different you would... nah.

The day was still young and that meant more time for you to try your hand at getting a date to the Winter Formal. You were never the sultry type, so this was much harder than you originally anticipated. Your only sense of comfort came from knowing that Prompto was probably striking out much more than you.

"Onward Benedict! We must find ourselves a suitor!" You looked at the time on your phone. "…but after this cooking lesson."

 **Apartment : 12:30pm : 189 days**

You'd waste no time knocking on the front door to Noct's place, but just barge right in. You were totally ready to get your cooking lesson in for the day. Before Ignis offered to teach you, you were never over here before at least 3:00pm on most days. Still, it was something you were getting used to.

"Sorry I'm perfectly on time." You looked in the direction of the blond man setting up the ingredients for the day.

You unleashed Benedict and she took to the space next to the young prince who was sprawled out on the couch. He was doing what he did best, sleeping.

Ignis welcomed you with a contained smile and directed you to the counter. "Well, hello there. You weren't here yesterday."

You'd set your black backpack at the door. "I know. I got caught up running some errands." You looked at all of the vegetables on the counter and frown. "So, we're NOT making lunch for Noct today?"

"Well, there's always a way to get your nutrients in without it tasting that way." He'd slyly fix his glasses.

You'd face the sink and run warm water over your hands. Lathering them with soap you looked back at your instructor, "Alright, my hands are washed and my mind is ready. What are we gonna cook today?"

The taller man turned to you with an onion in his hand. "If you would, grab that knife..."

"Gotcha." You turned from the man and grabbed the stainless-steel cutlery. You were so ready to own this onion.

"How do you want it senpai?" Your moxie was literally intoxicating the room.

"Diced would be great."

You delved right in and began to cut the onion. You noticed that Ignis wasn't making anything though. "Wait a minute. Is this whole thing going to be on me?"

He shook his head, "Of course not. However, you'll be doing all of the preparations today, and I'll do the actual cooking."

You put the knife back to the onion and began to saw down.

"No, no." His hand grabbed yours. He held your hand against the onion and his other guided your knife wielding hand. "You never want to saw. Just apply pressure. Trust the knives. They're sharp enough."

"Alright, I got this." You shooed the man away. "Prepare to be impressed!"

Heeding his instructions, you chopped up the onion with ease and finesse. "How do you like that shit?!"

You dropped the knife as if it were a microphone. Upon doing so you realized it was a freaking KNIFE that could harm you. Ignis was so passionate about cooking, and you were hesitant to look at him. You feared he would be mad at you.

"I'm really sorry. I'll take this more seriously."

Your eyes finally met with his, and he wasn't mad at all. In fact, he was sporting quite a balmy smile.

"I'm glad you're having fun, but please remember to be careful. An accident in the kitchen could land you in urgent care."

He took the pieces of onion and tossed them into a bowl. "That was great, now I need you to chop the rest of the vegetables and then season the meat."

"You might not wanna blink because this is gonna blow your mind!" You held the knife to the vegetables and began to chop away.

You were having way too much fun with this. It was like a game. It had only been a few days but you were more confident than you'd ever been. Sliced, diced, and ready to go. You scooted them all into the bowl including the meat.

"Do be cautious now." Ignis rose his eyebrows at you. "Too much seasoning could ruin the dish, but too little can leave it bland and unwanted."

You looked at the man doe-eyed. Oh how all of that confidence just simmered away. There were a number of spices set out around and he could tell you weren't ready to do it on your own yet.

"Watch me." He took it from there. Carefully showing you the proper measurements, he left the mixture in the bowl.

There was one last ingredient. It was some funky red color. Ignis handed it to you. "Just a dash. I trust you."

You nodded and attempted to get the lid off. You struggled a bit, and grit your teeth. As his hands came up to help you, you shook your head. "Nope, I got it."

Yes, you got it alright. Got it all over your shirt as you ripped the cap off. Lucky for you none of it got onto the food, but dammit if it didn't ruin your nice clothes.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Was all you could babble. "I didn't mean to."

"Forget the spice. Are you okay? None of it got in your eyes did it?" The man worriedly checked you out.

"No, just on me. I'm gonna go clean up in the back." You headed to the guest room to get changed and...

"Ignis!" You called to the man in an alarming tone.

"Yes?" He looked back, "Is everything alright?"

You ran to your backpack and opened it up taking out a plastic container.

"I forgot, I have something for you." You'd hand the box to the man and he'd graciously take it.

"This is a thank you for teaching me, and being patient when I do stupid stuff." You'd gesture to your messy shirt, "I know it's only been a few of days, but I just wanted to tell you that your time is appreciated."

You smile widely as the man takes the lid off. The smell is overwhelming, but his facial expression remains the same.

He'd stick a fork into the crumbly yellow loaf and bring it up to his lips. "Fluffy Chiffon Cake? This is incredibly thoughtful of you."

Taking a bite of the food, his lips curled into a bold smile. "It's wonderful, thank you."

You were happy to hear that he liked your dessert. You tried extremely hard on it, and wanted to put some of your teachings to good use.

"Glad you like it. Whelp, I'm going to get cleaned up. Be back in a few."

You slipped away to the guest room and went straight to the shower to get the stench of the spice off you.

Back in the living room Noctis rose from the couch. He looked over to see the open dessert you made on the counter. The smell of the open spice woke him up, and he wasn't too happy about it. So you know what, he was going to reward himself with some cake.

It was clearly Ignis' cake, but his back was turned as he was preoccupied with the food. Not only that, it's not like the man would mind if had just a little taste. Actually, he would. Sweets could ruin one's appetite.

"What the hell?" The prince grumbled under his breath as he poked the cake.

Against his better judgment he took a bite out of the loaf and quickly spat it onto the counter. "Ignis?!"

The blond looked away from the dish he was tending to, "What is it?"

"What the hell did you make?! This tastes like, like a foot that was mixed in 30 pounds sugar!" He snatched a paper towel from the counter and rubbed the essence off his tongue.

"I didn't make it." He'd gesture to the back room.

The boy's blue eyes amplified, "Well did you tell her how bad this is?"

"If I criticized her too hard she might get discouraged from ever cooking again. It helps to have extra hands in the kitchen."

The boy crossed his arms and thought rationally. "Well, food does get cooked faster when she helps you. Plus she'll probably throw a fit if we say something." He'd pick up the cake, "I'll keep quiet, but we've gotta get rid of this thing."

As Noctis picked up the cake to throw it away, Prompto came barging. "What up amigos!"

His eyes directed at the cake immediately and oh yes, he wanted a piece. "Ooh, what did Iggy make today?"

The prince guided the cake away, "No, Prompto trust me!"

"Come on Noct, let me have a piece. Please? Just a tiny bit?"

The raven haired boy's eyes got even more serious as he backed away from his friend, "No, seriously Prompto. I'm warning you. This is not-"

"Not what?" You joined in the conversation as came from the back. You were again wearing one of Noct's shirts unapologetically.

"It's not.. not..." Noctis was trying to find the words but they just wouldn't come.

"Not his." Ignis grabbed the cake from the prince's hands and set it on the counter.

Your eyes apathetically look at Ignis. "Yes, the cake was for you, but everyone can have some. I mean, there's a lot of it."

You pulled two plates from the cabinet and cut a slice for both Prompto and Noctis.

"Here, and don't ask for seconds. I'm technically giving away part of someone else's present."

Noctis' eyes are literally watering. He'd rather die than eat this cake. "Trust me this slice will be more than enough."

Prompto happily skips over to his plate, "Ha! I get some anyway! Mmm, it looks so good!"

Both Noctis and Iggy brace themselves as Prompto puts a piece up to his mouth he's totally going to blow their cover.

Just as he's about to eat, the boy sets the fork down and looks in your direction, "So how fairs the hunt by the way?"

The two sigh in relief for a moment, but are still very tense.

You shrug, "I mean, it is what it is. I've got a few fish circling my lure, but it's all a matter of which one I want to pick." Lies. Complete and total lies.

"Same." His poker face is even worse than yours. "My main squeeze is just moments away from saying yes, but if she doesn't there's always another." These lies were just as bad as your own.

"You two are completely hopeless." Noctis shook his head.

"Oh yeah? Say something else negative and I'll take that cake away before you get the chance to try it."

There was hope after all. His eyes gleamed from the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. "I'm just saying this. The same day you guys told me about the bet I found a date. So hopeless may not be the word, but something close to it maybe?"

"That's it!" You snatched his plate away and set it on the counter, "You just lost your cake privileges! And just an FYI, it's not that hard to get a date when you're a FUCKING PRINCE!"

The boy was so relieved that his cake nightmare was over. It was out of his sight, but not quite out of his mind. "I'm just excited to see how this unfolds."

You narrow your eyes at the boy, "I can tell you how it's going to end. Two words, cue-ball."

You'd walk back over to the living room and sit at the coffee table. You opened the deck of cards atop the hand-crafted oak. "Hey, you guys wanna pl-"

Your words stopped as you saw Noctis with a hand over Prompto's mouth. "What the hell are you guys doing?"

"Nothing." Noctis replied alarmingly fast.

As you turned around, the prince whispered into Prompto's ear. "Don't tell her the cake is bad. You know she's going to throw a bitch-fit if you do."

The blond nodded as he barely managed to swallow the piece in his mouth. Without you noticing, he'd inch his way to the trashcan and dump the yellow poison.

Prompto made his way back over to you. "Wow, that was really good. So amazing. I mean, whoa. Iggy she's got your number on that one."

Noctis grimaced as he was laying it on way too thick.

"Glad you liked it. You can thank Ignis for teaching me so well."

The man was too kind to you for not speaking on what a disaster the cake turned out to be. Hell, they all were. "I hope you don't mind miss, but I'm going to put it in fridge now." Ignis somberly spoke to you. "I wouldn't want it to spoil."

"Do whatever you want with it. Rest is yours anyway."

You shuffled the cards and looked at both of your friends. "Do you ever think about where we'll be 10 years from now?"

"That was random." Noctis scoffed.

"I do." Prompto seriously replied. "Like if we'll still be friends and stuff?"

"Yeah." You replied with somewhat of a sad look. "What would we be doing? Would we be married? I dunno. I think about that sometimes."

The prince nodded as he heard your outspoken thoughts, "We'll be friends still. 10 years from now we'll probably be sitting around the same table asking about the next ten years and so on."

You put an arm around each of your friends, "I love you guys."

"Eww, you're sentimental is showing." Noctis broke free from your arm.

"Kiss my ass. You know you love my sentimental moments!"

The blond boy laughed, "Which ass cheek should he kiss? The one that'll have my name on it?"

You pick up one of the pillows from the couch behind you and smack Prompto with it. "You're a dead man baldy!"

Before a pillow fight breaks out Ignis walks over with the prepped lunch. "Hey now. Eat before it's cold."

It was like he was some kind of beast charmer, because as soon as the plates were set down you all began to eat like civilized young adults.

"So good." You melted into the food.

The seasoning and texture was absolutely perfect. If you died before you could ever eat anything again, this was certainly a perfect last meal.

"Good job squirt." Noctis nodded at you.

"The Great Anak hath been granted the almighty power of great cooking!" Prompto lifted his bowl dramatically.

"You're all forgetting that Ignis did most of the work."

"I'd say the responsibility was shared equally." The taller blond gave you a light pat on the shoulder.

As you all finished up, the front door opened once again and in walked Gladio.

You turned to look and you instinctively ducked to hide your face. You didn't know why you did it, but you just did.

"Hey, just stopping by for lunch."

"Food's on the stove." Ignis pointed.

The man scanned the counter and, oh, what was this? There was a nice piece of Fluffy Chiffon Cake. It was the plate you took away from Noctis earlier. The man smiled at the delicious looking dessert and picked up a piece with the fork.

The four of you stood up to put your dishes in the sink. Upon doing so you noticed Gladio getting ready to eat the putrid cake.

You walked over to the sink, but the others stayed behind trying everything they could to silently gesture to Gladio not to eat that cake.

No luck. The man had already eaten the piece and his eyes widened greatly. He looked over to see the faces of the boys shaking their heads.

"I've gotta be honest. That's one of the most foul tasting things I ever had. You made this Iggy?"

"No, I did!" You huff as you pull the plate toward you.

The boys just sigh with their faces in their hands. This was it. Their cover was blown.

You put a piece of the cake in your mouth and immediately spit it back out into a napkin. "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

Noctis rubbed the back of his head, "Well... we kind of didn't want you to get mad." 

"Or discouraged from cooking." Ignis chimed in.

"I'm just a bystander!" Prompto whined.

Oh you were just a hot little potato now. You were ready to go off on everyone for lying to you. They braced themselves as they knew a good scolding was coming for them.

You'd take a deep breath and smile at the boys. "See you at school tomorrow."

That was much more frightening than being yelled at.

"W-what does that mean?" A scared Prompto begged for answers.

"It means I'll see my two best friends at school tomorrow." You gave a smile that sent literal chills up their backs.

Picking up your backpack you frolicked out the door.

Ignis sighed. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"No, hell hath no fury like THAT woman scorned." Noctis shuttered.

The shorter blond boy shook in his little boots. "What do you think she's gonna do?"

"Better watch your backs." Gladiolus smirked.

"This is all your fault!" Prompto yelled, "Noct, we are so dead."

"Yep..."


	3. First Date

**School : 9:55am : 185 days**

You were at school on this glorious Fall day. The wind was blowing, and the colorful autumn leaves danced around in harmony. The sky may have been gloomy, but gloomy you were not. In fact, nothing could take the smile off your face.

"What is that look?" A sleepy Noctis walked over to your table.

"Prompto slipped her another note." Your smile was firmly riveted to your face as you pointed to your right.

Noctis looked in an unsuspecting manner at the girl next to you, or as you usually referred to her, 'Prompto's Dream Girl.' The tall girl walked over to her seat, and in it was a pink note that was folded in two.

The girl sighed, "Looks like I got another one."

"Again?" Your eyes directed toward the girl. "What's it say?"

She moved her long jet black hair behind her ear as she started to read. "Roses are red and I'm filled with glee at the thought of you going to the Winter Formal with me. No seriously, will you? Love... Prompto Argentum?!"

Her jaw dropped upon reading the name. The classroom filled with laughter as she read the boy's letter.

Noctis looked at you wide eyed. He whispered in an upsetting tone, "You did this?"

You shook your head furiously. "I didn't! It must've fallen out of his pocket on his way out!"

Prompto was presently in the restroom at the moment. When he walked in he would be met with a class laughing at his expense. You knew he was very sensitive when it came to things like this. You'd been thinking all week of a way to get back at the boys for lying to you about your food, but you figured just letting them wallow in misery was enough.

This was not your mess, but you felt like it was your responsibility to clean this up. That poem was horrible, but it surly had his Prompto-ness all over it. Perhaps it was one of his reject sonnets that he planned to throw out.

"He's gonna be totally bummed." Noctis bit his lip as he thought about it.

There was a thought that crossed your mind. It was a silly one, really. With the Winter Formal being just a few days away you two could easily just break even with no consequences, right? That was nice, but it wasn't this thought that was giving you trouble. The thought was another. You really wished this dumb idea would get out of your head. It was like a pounding headache that had no quit.

You put a hand to your forehead and sulked in a quiet tone. "I'm gonna hate myself for this."

You stood up and snatched the love letter from the girl. "Prompto wrote this?!"

The green-eyed girl nodded, "Yeah. This whole time I thought it was someone... else. Someone... better."

"Save your disappointment." You held up a steely hand. "Prompto Agentum is one of the greatest guys I've ever met in my life. Not only is he a gentleman, but he's funny, charming, humble, and smart."

The black haired girl frowned at you, "Then why don't you go with him?"

Your shoulders held a shrug as you tossed the paper back to her. "Because he didn't ask me; he asked you, and honestly I'm starting to question why. He could have any girl he wants in Insomnia, but instead he chose to go after you. You should be a little more flattered when someone shows interest in you. Especially if that person is one in a million. You may not believe me, but if you say no to him, you're gonna regret not giving him a chance."

She was at a loss for words. She didn't know if you were telling the truth or just good at lying.

You could see the boy coming back down the hallway not too far away. "Make your choice. If you don't ask him then I will. I have a custom made Vivienne Westwood dress that I don't want to go to waste."

This was the first time the girl had ever been flustered in front of her peers. In doing that you felt very accomplished.

Prompto walked back in the classroom and all eyes were on him. He didn't know if he should leave or give a speech. "Howdy?"

All pigments in his skin seemed to flush out as his dream girl approached him. Pretty sure he wasn't even breathing. She greeted him with a toothy smile that nearly knocked the boy flat on his ass.

"Prompto?" Her long eyelashes came together in slow motion as he looked at her. "I'd love to go to the Winter Formal with you."

You took a seat back at your desk and beside you was a proud Noctis. "You did good squirt."

"Don't I always?" You place your hands under your chin. You feel like cupid flying away with your arrows and harp.

Noctis snickers in your ear, "So, where ya gonna get that tattoo?" Just like that your cupid wings were stripped and you were freefalling back into a cold reality.

"You think he'd still make me get a tattoo? Look how happy he is. He's not that heartless."

 **Downtown : 3:27pm : 185 days**

"You are so heartless!"

"Well you lost the bet." The blond boy graciously opened the door to the tattoo parlor for you.

"I can't even believe you! I said so many nice things about you today!" You walked inside with your feet dragging on the floor.

Noctis didn't contain his laughter as you three entered. He was loving this. "What type are you getting."

"She should do Arial Black so it stands out." Prompto grinned eagerly.

"Out!" You pointed at the door. "Both of you! I'm doing this by myself!"

"What?! Come on, let us see." The blond pleaded.

"No, you two have to go." You reopened the door for them. "Bye bye now."

The duo left but they were far from happy about it, especially Prompto. As they walked away a part of you wished you didn't kick them out. This was your very first tattoo and it was nerve wracking.

You walked over to the counter and smiled nervously. "Hi, I wanna get a tattoo."

The man greeted you with a sarcastic nod, "Well, I assumed that's why you walked in. What do you want?"

"A name; Prompto Argentum. Century Gothic, no caps, black ink, and no wider than 3 inches please. Oh, and on my foot, like, the bottom of it."

The man sneered, "Looks like you got this all mapped out, huh? C'mon, I'll take you back."

You were dreading this, but it was just something you had to do. At least it was in a place where no one would ever see it, and even better, it was in a place where you didn't have to look at it.

The man showed you to your seat, and you were ready to go. You smooth your plaid skirt down as you sat on the tilted back chair. You removed your right black shoe and took a deep inhale. It felt like an eternity taking off your long white sock, but in reality, it was just a second. The design pressed up against the upper sole of your foot and you closed your eyes. If only you had one more day to get a date, then it would be Prompto at a barber instead of you in a tattoo shop.

You laid back and the sound of the buzzing gun consumed you. It was just you and it. The sound was so loud. Your breathing intensified and you just wanted out!

"Don't do it."

Your eyes blaze open and your foot retracts back. You look around to see whose voice it was that snapped you out of this.

It was the bodyguard Gladio himself, and you were starting to think it's beyond coincidental that you kept running into each other.

"Just give yourself the day to think about it."

You looked at the tattoo artist as you snatched your items and quickly put your sock and shoe back on. "I'm really sorry I wasted your time. He's right though. I'm not ready."

You hopped of the seat and made for the exit, "What are you doing in here?"

"Thinking about a tattoo. I had one in mind for a while."

You cracked open the door and stood there a moment. "Thank you, Gladio." You loitered at the door for just a second longer before turning back to face him. "Do you wanna hang out? There's that festival going on a few blocks down."

Why were you asking him to hang out? Your gut told you not to go down this road, but you felt like you owed it to him for cutting your time so short last you hung out. Or, at least that was the excuse you were going to keep telling yourself.

"You asking me on a date?"

"It's not a date!" You replied defensively. "It is two people hanging out at a festival. I wouldn't go on a date in my school uniform anyway."

"Mmmm, nah."

"Nah?" Your eyes amplified, "Nah? What do you mean nah?!"

Gladio reached around you to open the door. He'd step outside into the overcast as he left the shop.

You'd grab his arm before he could get too far, "Don't be like that! What do you mean?"

He looked down to see your inquisitive eyes peering up at him. Goodness your eyes were sickening, particularly when you were making that innocent face. Your dainty hands had a firm grip on his forearm, and he wasn't going anywhere without giving you answers.

He was such a joker. He looked away from you tauntingly, "I don't wanna hang out."

Your hands released from his arm and you'd stand before the man, "Are you really doing this?!" A deep sigh fled you and you took a step back. "I am not going on a date with you!"

"Okay, catch ya later Half-Pint." The man put his hands inside his dark denim pockets and began to make his way down the street.

You brought a finger between your teeth as you watched him walk away. Again you were faced with a decision. Stay quiet and let him leave, or open your big fat mouth.

"Fine!" Your hands ball into fists as you speak. "We can go on a damn date!"

Why did you allow him to dictate this? You were outwardly upset, but on the inside... no, you were still upset. It wasn't like this guy had some magic charm that you couldn't find somewhere else. He was huge flirt, and with each exchange you had to remind yourself not to get caught up in it.

"Let's go then."

.

 **Festival : 3:49pm : 185 days**

As you two approached, the smell of fresh kettle corn was in the air; it was so close you could almost taste it. Games of every kind were set up in the booths lining the street. Cotton candy, rides, kissing booths, everything. People walked around with balloons and paint on their faces. The music and people were so loud you'd have to raise your voice just to speak normally. It was a freak show and you loved it. Your inner kid was screaming, but you'd try to contain yourself.

Your eyes looked all around the festival, and you didn't know what you wanted to do first. There were so many colorful flashing lights that your mind couldn't just focus on one thing. Without a word you walk straight over to the shooting game booth.

"Ready to get your ass kicked?" You said as you took point at one of the plastic rifles.

"Is that what you think?" The man rose his eyebrows as if he'd make you eat those words.

There was no way you could lose at this because you had impeccable aim. You closed your left eye and waited for the bell to sound. Right when you heard the ding you went for it. You shot all the ducks within your line. It felt nice to be good at something.

"Which prize do you want when I win?" You laughed as you continued to shoot.

He didn't respond to you, but focused on shooting the moving yellow chocobos. You couldn't stop smiling as you heckled him. "The pink teddy looks cute. You want that one?"

"I can stop shooting if you want to catch up." You nudge the man but he was still focused.

Backing away from the gun you'd take an ostentatious stretch. Your cockiness was at an all-time high right now. Putting a hand over your mouth you'd yawn oh so fictitiously.

"Right, we're in the middle of a game." Your eyes widened as you went back to your gun.

All the targets were down and the ending bell rang. You looked at your score and then at Gladio's. You beat him by a landslide. "I'll take my prize now. The pink teddy will suffice."

The booth attendant handed you your prize and you'd hide your face behind it. The endearing pink bear had nothing on your guiltless eyes as you looked up at the man, "Is this the one you wanted?"

The corners of his mouth curved into that amiable smile as you taunted him. His tongue traced his bottom lip as he shook his head, "I don't think you even know what you just started."

Poking out your bottom lip you'd bring your shoulder to your chin, "I'm so terrified."

You'd push the bear into his chest and rolled your eyes. "That's the first of many stuffed animals I'll be winning for you tonight. So come on, date. It's your turn to pick the game. What else do you want to get slaughtered at?"

He'd rub his hands in sinister delight as he looked at the balloon darts just a few feet away. As you two approached he pointed up at the prizes, "So do you want the cactuar or the mini behemoth?"

You tapped the base of your chin with your index finger, "You're really going to test my aim again? One catoblepas plushie coming your way."

You two started again and the darts went flying. "I'm gonna make you regret asking me on a date."

Gladio smirked, "Actually you asked me, remember?"

Well why did he say that? Just that statement was enough to throw off your aim. He was totally right though. You gripped the tiny metal dart in your fingers, and lining it up was okay. When it came to actually performing though, you just completely declined in skill.

His eyes peeked over and he saw that you were dropping the ball. "So cactuar or mini behemoth?"

Your cheeks puffed out as you knew he was totally gonna win. "Cactuar." You mumbled under your breath.

The time was up and Gladio pointed at you. "You heard the lady."

You held out your hand like an angry child as the mid sized green cactuar was placed in your possession. At least it was kind of cute.

"Ring toss! Right now!" You grabbed the man by the crease of his arm and dragged him along. "This I know you're gonna get your ass kicked at."

The big man stood beside you, but this time he wasn't playing against you. You would individually go one at a time. He'd by lying if he said his eyes didn't trail off as you were playing. Not too far though, he needed to know what score to beat. Your legs were distracting in that skirt though.

A gust of wind blew your way, and you'd put your hands on the back of your skirt. You caught a glimpse of his wandering eye and you were definitely having none of that.

"Don't be checking me out!" You gave him the ring while still holding down your skirt. "Go, it's your turn!"

He took the plastic white hoop and started his turn. You weren't really paying attention to him so much as you were your skirt. Why did the wind decide to pick up again right now? Perfect timing weather! Your back faced the game and you were able to look out in the open. You could see some girls in the distance giving the goo goo eyes to the man beside you. I mean, he wasn't yours so they had the right to look didn't they? Didn't stop you from rolling your eyes though.

As you turned back, your face was greeted with a large stuffed anak. "A stuffed anak for The Great Anak."

Your eyes were stuck on the giant animal. It was so cute, and the meaning behind it was even better. This thing was practically as big as you, but dammit if you weren't going to drag it around.

"Thank you." You hugged the anak as you lifted it off the ground. "I love it."

For whatever reason, seeing the animal took you out of your competitive mood, and what you wanted to do now was walk around. Taking in all of the sights was something you needed to do before the day was over anyway. The sky was dimming and more lights began to turn on. It brought you back to your time as a kid.

"So what do you do for fun? I mean besides turning down men all day." Gladio walked beside you as you two sauntered through the festival.

Your unamused face looked up at him. "You think I'm some kind of maneater? That's flattering, but no. I like archery. That's why I have good aim. I've had a lot of practice. Between that, hanging out with my friends, and attempting to learn how to cook I don't have much time for anything else. Speaking of time, you seem to have a lot on your hands considering you have one of the most time consuming jobs in the world."

"First of all, archery is badass." He gave you a thumbs up. "Second, I don't have a lot of free time. You've just been lucky to catch me on my time off."

"Lucky?" You playfully nudged the man.

Before you could walk further you stopped in your tracks. "Holy shit."

"What?" Gladio looked around.

"Okay, you're gonna think this is totally stupid, but I don't really care." Your eyes glistened as you spoke, "I have this thing where I try every new flavor of ice cream I see and they have one called Hot Melon. I don't know why they're serving ice cream in this weather, but come on, we have to try it."

Once again you were dragging the man along with your prizes in one arm and your hand gripping his wrist.

"Can I get the Hot Melon please." Your hand was still clutched to his wrist as you placed your order. You quickly released as you heard him getting out his wallet. "Stop it Gladio! We're not doing this again. Let me pay!"

His amber eyes looked directly into yours, and he gave you a sardonic look. He didn't need to say anything. In his eyes he reminded you of what happened last time.

You turned your head away and looked up, "Whatever, but I'm not gonna be happy."

Yeah, your 'unhappiness' lasted all of 2 seconds before the green ice cream cone was in your possession. It was sprinkled with small red flakes, and you were dying to taste it. Your moment of relishing was over. You put the ice cream cone to your lips, and you weren't sure if you were feeling heat or cold coming off it.

Your tongue ran across the cool dessert and you nodded in affirmation of bliss. "It's good. It tastes like honeydew melon and..."

It was then that the heat of the ice cream started to kick in. Hot was definitely an understatement. Your eyes started to water, and you fanned your face.

"I don't know if I should eat more to cool off or eat none to cool off. It's so hot!"

"Let me see." Gladio drew up your arm and had a taste for himself.

Your eyes narrowed at him as he ate some of your food. "Hey!"

"I mean, it's mild I guess."

"Don't be macho! You know this is hot." You reach your hand up and press the ice cream to his lips.

Unexpectedly he opened his mouth and took a huge bite out of the cone. Trying to one up the man you take what you think is a big bite knowing it's going to be a total mistake. Your mouth was on fire, and the only person to blame was you.

"I can't do this! It's scorching!" Your eyes shut tightly. "Here you have the rest macho man."

You handed the remains of the cone to Gladio and he of course finished it off. He was a serious machine because this had to be at least 200,000 scoville units.

Your teary eyes looked up at the man, "That was not fun, but at least I can cross that off my list."

Your head turned just as the Ferris Wheel finally lit up. It was so beautiful, and of all things here it was the most outstanding. "Let's go."

You didn't drag the man along this time, but he just followed. This was the first time there was an actual line for the thing you wanted to go on. It was a pretty moderate line, and for the Ferris Wheel you'd wait. The breeze picked up again, and now you found yourself stagnant in a long ass line. You looked around, and once again you saw some girls checking out Gladio again. It wasn't just for the simple fact that he was tall either.

You didn't mean to, but an annoyed sigh escaped your lips. This was why you could never date a man like Gladio. Well, there were many reasons, but that was one of them. It just irritated you how they just blatantly stared at the guy. You wondered if he noticed as well. You couldn't get jealous over a guy who was just a friend, could you?

The goose bumps started to form on your arms, but they were hidden beneath your long sleeve shirt. You had a slight shiver tremble your body, but it was nothing serious. As you moved up in the line you could feel hands rubbing up and down your arms. These were Gladio's hands, and they were actually really warm.

"What are you doing?" You looked up at the man with fake callous eyes. "I can't have you doing this date stuff."

His head fell back in a fit of laughter, "You want me to stop?"

He knew what your answer was, and it was the reason he asked. How did you get in this situation you wondered? This was dangerous, and it needed to be stopped.

"Well, strictly on a survival basis I'll allow it." Your face turned away with sass.

The line continued and you walked forward still in the man's grasp. The petty part of you was hoping that the girls from before saw you two now.

Finally you reached your booth in the Ferris Wheel. You left your prizes to the side and headed on. You took the seat on the left and Gladio took the seat across from you on right. Your legs were crossed and his were on either side of yours to compensate for lack of leg room.

Man you were wishing you brought that stuffed animal with you so you could hide your face. Of all the moments today, this was the most intimate. You grabbed your arms and tried to shake the cool air that continued to pester you.

"C'mere." Gladio looked at your shivering arms and back up to you.

"What?" Your eyes broaden. You heard what he said, but you just couldn't think of what else to say.

"Come over here. I know you're cold." He rose his eyebrow in a feat of smugness. "For survival."

"Don't use my words against me!" You climbed over his left leg and squeezed beside him. "I'm ONLY doing this because I'm cold."

"Why else would you be doing it?" His arm came around you as he scooted you closer.

"The view is nice." Your eyes peered off into the distance. You could see the illuminated city below, and you felt on top of the world.

"You going to the Winter Formal?" He casually threw out the idea.

"I have my perfect pajamas picked out just for the occasion."

"You're not going?" His eyes were taken away from the scenic view and onto you.

Your arm lifted up and rested on the side of the metal red cart. "No. It's gonna be like 32 degrees. That's too cold to be outside in a ball gown."

"That sounds like a phony ass excuse."

He was right, you were a party of one ready to drink hot cocoa and stay wrapped under warm blankets.

"It's not! Not everyone goes to the Winter Formal you know. I'm fine with staying home."

You could see a minute expression of guilt on the man's face. "I would ask you to go but I have to work."

Your fist playfully punches his side. "First of all you're just assuming I'd say yes. Second, who said I was staying home because I didn't have a date?"

He wouldn't pry on this one. Although you kept your facial expression straight, and your attitude didn't falter, he could tell this was a sensitive spot for you. Your eyes spoke volumes. You wished you never made that stupid bet. Times were better when the plan was just you Promto and Noctis staying in. You just had to ruin it with your colossal mouth.

You rode the rest of the ride in silence. It wasn't awkward, it was just a moment of peace. It was rare to find people who could just sit in silence sometimes, and it was nice to know that he was one of those people. There wasn't always a need to fill up space with words. It allowed you to take in and appreciate the full sight from the top of the Ferris Wheel. You wished you could stay up there forever, but hey, law of gravity. What goes up must come down.

The two of you stepped off and you collected your prizes. You stood at the exit of the ride and just looked up at the man.

"This has been fun Mr. Gladiolus. I'm glad we came." You set the anak down and wrapped your arms around the man.

He reciprocated and it was strange. You didn't desire to be in his arms until it happened. You couldn't keep toying with your own emotions like this. The calendar days were falling rapidly and you couldn't drag him into your mess. It wouldn't be right.

You looked up at him with a smile that was melancholy and delight all in one. You began to lean in and he did as well. Getting up to your toes, you were well on your way to the man's face. Just inches away from his lips you stop short.

You chin is rested against his chest, and your breath stifled. Running your tongue across your lips, you inch up just a little bit more.

You open your mouth and your words are like smooth velvet. "I don't kiss on a first date."

Tauntingly you back away and pick up your anak. You were such a tease it was nauseating. He couldn't even be mad at you; you were too calculating. You knew what you were doing and you were just reeling him in. His grin was undying, and his laugh was unaffected. It was moments like this that made you wonder why he even bothered with you in the first place.

"Last game." Gladio pointed to the same booth that you first started on. The shooting game. "All or nothing."

Your eyebrows rose in surprise. "One ass kicking just wasn't enough for you was it?" You took the pink teddy bear out of his hand and walked over to the stand, "We're getting ready to upgrade this prize."

You took point and you didn't understand why he would want to play this again. There was no way he was going to win this unless he hustled you the first go 'round. Even if he did you were too good, and he was outmatched by far. The final bell sounded and it was like deja vu. You were quicker and your aim was much more precise. You glanced over for a moment and Gladio was more confident than he'd been all night. But why?

You regained focus and continued to shoot. "Gladio, I thought you were smarter than this. Tsk tsk tsk."

Just like before he didn't reply to your heckling. There was only focus.

You shot down the last remaining targets. "And... that's... game!" You pointed up at the giant stuffed moogle. "I'd like to trade the pink teddy for that one please."

You shook your head as you passed him the moogle. "Why? Did you expect a different result?"

"Not really."

"Well then what the hell?" Your arms cross as you form a frown on your face.

He'd lean down to your height, "Consolation prize? Kiss on the cheek?"

"I can do that." You finger beckons him closer and you roll your eyes pretending like he is such a chore.

You supposed he at least deserved that much. He left the results up to you, and that was kind of what sold you on allowing this.

You pucker up and lean in close. There was nothing romantic about a kiss on the cheek to you. You gave Noctis kisses on the cheek all the time, so there was really no difference.

Right before your lips made contact with his stubbly cheek, he turned his face. Oh yeah, he played you. Your lips met his in a quick and premeditated kiss. It was only a peck, but the feeling of his soft lips against yours was enough to get your heart racing.

"What was?! Why did you?!" Your hands came up to cover your mouth and hopefully your bright red face. You turned away from the man in full embarrassment.

He broke rule number one about first dates, and he found it awfully hilarious. Were you upset? Probably not. Would you play it up? Definitely.

"Hey! You can't just do that kind of stuff, you know? What if I just... what if I just kissed you?!"

"Do it." He remained in the same place hunched over as you turned back to face him. "Do it. I don't think you will."

"I won't give you the satisfaction." You cooed as you picked up your prizes from the ground once again.

You began to take off without him, but he'd call to you before you made any headway. "It's getting late. I'll walk you home."

"So you can squeeze more kisses out of me? No way." You looked up at the darkened sky, and from this part of the city not a single starlight could be seen. "I'm a big girl. I can make it home intact."

You turned halfway to face him at the entrance of the festival. Your arm was firmly tightened around the anak and cactuar. A light beam gathered upon your face. "Thank you. I suppose I wouldn't be completely against a second date."

You didn't wait to see his reaction, but you'd walk down the heavily crowded streets. Finally you could head back home, but not without making a quick pit stop.

.

 **Tattoo Shop : 8:33pm : 185 days**

"Okay, you are all finished up." The tattoo artist wiped the remains of the ink and blood left on your skin. "Ready to check it out?"

You nodded and headed to the long mirror hanging on the wall. You lifted up your skirt and saw the name 'prompto argentum' tattooed on your ass. At least, in the mirror that's what it said. To the rest of the world it looked like random backwards letters strewn together. Ultimately you decided against your foot because you knew Prompto would make you take off your shoes all the time.

This spot was perfect, and in a place that no one would ever see it... hopefully.


	4. A Field Trip

**Apartment : 12:03pm : 182 days**

It was the day before the Winter Formal and you knew just how to spend it. You walked inside of Noctis' apartment and saw Ignis once again preparing the ingredients for today's lesson.

"Welcome back." The man gave you a friendly wave. "You should be excited for today. We're making a special dish."

You pranced inside and placed a plastic bag atop the counter. "Put away the ingredients Iggy, today we're going on a field trip."

"A field trip?" He looked at you in a peculiar manner.

"Yeah, a field trip." You opened the bag and pulled out two Styrofoam boxes. "Come on. I brought these for little Noct so he won't get hungry while we're gone."

He was so taken aback. What was your angle? "I don't think it would be a good idea to leave him."

You walked over to the couch and looked at the young prince sleeping as normal. You'd move a bit of his hair back and give him a kiss on the cheek. As you pull away you could see the dark red lipstick left on his skin. It was an indicator between the two of you. Anytime you gave him a kiss on the cheek that meant you either did or were getting ready to do something he didn't like.

There was nothing romantic about it. A kiss on the cheek was just a lot easier than explaining yourself and apologizing. It was a vague statement, and some of the times he didn't know what you were even apologizing for, but he knew it was something irritating.

"He'll know what that means. Now come one, let's get going." You saw that the man was not moving, so you took it upon yourself to physically drag him out of the kitchen.

You stopped and looked up at the man with a face of slight impatience. "We're not going to be gone all day. Let's say we were going to cook for 2 hours today. Instead of actually cooking we'll use that time to do something else. Come on it'll be fun, and grab your keys."

.

 **Upper West Side : 12:25 : 182 days**

"A Botanical Garden? I still don't understand why." Ignis was in the driver's seat getting ready to park the car.

"Took us long enough." You began to unbuckle your seat belt before the car was completely parked.

You were so excited for this trip. As much as this little outing was about you, you truly did want the man to have a good time as well.

"Look at it!" Your eyes lit up as you looked back at him, "It's so fucking beautiful, isn't it?! Say it's fucking beautiful!"

The tall blond straightened his glasses as he closed the car door, "It's very beautiful."

"Close enough! Now come on!" You walked over to the man and pulled him by the end of his jacket sleeve.

He didn't understand why you were so thrilled to be here. Part of him felt a little bad that he couldn't match your excitement in the least.

You walked up further and saw the stunning picturesque vista. There was green meadows as far as the eye could see. Atop the grass were shrubs that stood many meters' high that were shaped into fine masterpieces of the Six. There was a large pond that surrounded the Leviathan shrub in the middle of it all. Elegant flowers ornamented the base of each sculpture. They were shades of colors you didn't even know existed.

It was almost winter however, so the leaves of the trees were not as full as they'd be in the Spring time. Didn't mean it was any less breathtaking though. Right in the middle was a glass dome that housed the main attraction of plants. Leading up to the front was a long cobblestone path with white hellebore's tracing its sides. Even if all you had was a couple of hours, you could tell this was going to be one hell of a day.

"I should probably tell you why we're here." You released the material of his shirt and walked beside him.

"That would be good, yes." He glanced over at you.

"There's this plant that only grows in this specific garden. It's not normally used for cooking, but it was used in a dish that I'm trying to remember. The ingredients are so vague to me, but this I remembered. I was hoping that if you tasted it you could help me find out what I'm trying to know." A hard sigh left you nearly breathless, "I never said I was an easy person to be around Ignis, so save your eye rolls, okay?"

What was that? You actually coaxed a chuckle out of the man. "I'd be happy to help you. What is the plant called?"

"I dunno." Your shoulders came up to a shrug. "I just remembered what it looked like. And don't worry, we're not stealing. They have a restaurant in the back of this place that sells it with one of their dishes."

As you continued to the entrance a breeze moseyed its way on through and you were so ready for it. You wore your dark gray mid length pea coat dress, and black knee high boots. There was no way you were going to let the weather get the best of you today. You didn't understand how Ignis would hold up in his black leather jacket and slacks, but knowing him he'd probably never let you know.

The blond man grabbed the door for you and you civilly entered. Before you could even see anything, the smell hit you like a ton of bricks. It was overwhelming. It was a strong scent of earth, flowers, and running water all in one. It wasn't a bad thing, but just a bit startling.

The trees were so much more tropical in here than it'd been outside. It was like a rain forest in here. You worried about being too cold, but in this dense space it would probably get hot very quickly.

You walked over to one of the plants and relished in its violet beauty. "Have you been here before?"

"I never got around to it, but I've done a lot of research." The man replied as he knelt down with you to take a look at the flower. "Magnificent."

You nodded in agreement and stood up once again. There was a path that would lead you around the place, and that's what you were going to take. This dwelling was somewhat of a wonderland. Every time you thought you'd seen all of the colors out came a new one.

"Whoa! What is that?!" You ran ahead as your eyes caught a glimpse of 2 flowers hidden by the larger ones.

"What is it?" Ignis apprehensively followed behind.

It was deep red plant that was almost the same shade as your lipstick. Your black gloved hands covered your mouth in awe as you looked at the flower.

"Chocolate Cosmos." He took a closer look as he once again knelt by your side. "Yes, they are an endangered plant. Take a whiff, the title suggests their scent."

You placed your hand underneath the flower without touching it and took a deep inhale. Sweet chocolate is what it smelled like. Not only were they a sight for sore eyes, they were a smell for stuffed sinus'.

With your arms rested on your legs, you placed one hand under your chin and looked over at the judicious man. "I'm curious about something."

"What is that?" He embraced your curiosity with an earnest grin.

"Who are you? I mean, I know you like to cook and whatever, but I know there's more to you than that. There's more to you than babysitting Noctis all the time too. When you're at home and you lay your head down for the night, who are you?"

It was a loaded question, and one that came particularly out of the blue.

"Strip away my duties and I just become a simple man, really."

"You're too modest. Give it time; I'll shake it out of you." You stood up and continued down the rocky pathway. "What do you do in your spare time? Do you read? And I'm not talking about cook books." You stopped in your tracks, "In fact, I've just come up with a rule. With the exception of the dish I'm trying to recreate, there will be no talking about cooking on this field trip."

"Very well then." His eyes continued to take in all the exuberant colors surrounding him. "I do like books."

You stopped again, but this time you turned around to face the man. "Is that all you're gonna give me? Do I have to put my prying skills into maximum overdrive? Tell me more." You pantomimed pulling a rope as you walked backwards. "What's your favorite season? Are you hiding a full torso of tattoos under that shirt? How old are you? Do you think I'm annoying? Do you consider your hair dirty blond or light brown? Because I think you're a blondie."

As you rambled on your foot caught the back of a rock and you were getting ready to fall backwards into the open pond. The highly alert man caught your hand and pulled you back to him.

His green eyes looked into yours as he held you close, "Spring, perhaps, 19, no, and light brown."

His hand released yours and you tapped your chin to match up his answers to your questions. It was like you were doing math in your head.

You mumbled to yourself, "Spring, mhmm, mhmm, not a blond even though you are." Your eyes blankly stared out and then shot back in his direction. "Did you say perhaps to the full torso of tattoos?!"

Keeping his composure, he'd shake his head, "No. I didn't."

"Yes you did!" Your hands tugged at his shirt, "Let me see! Is it colored or just black?! That's awesome Iggy!"

He grabbed your wrists to prevent you from accidentally ripping his white button up open. "I was being facetious. I don't."

You didn't even try to hide your disappointment as you pouted. Your hands released from his shirt, "Well at least I know you have a sense of humor... somewhat."

"Now it's my turn." Ignis suggested as you pressed forward on the trail once more. "Why is it that you never once allowed anyone into your home?"

"I hate going home." You kept your eyes away from his as you knew they were a tell all.

There was no need to hide however; the things you said were all true. "I never want to bring someone I care about like Noctis into a place that I have so much disdain for."

Your hand runs over your hair until you keep still on the back of your neck, "If your follow up question is why I don't ever meet any of his family and friends, it's because I don't like getting attached to people. The fear is not that they'll abandon me, but just the opposite."

It was a good thing you weren't looking at him. Your eyes were so magnified right now. You said a lot more than you intended, and you knew a perceptive guy like Ignis would notice it quickly. You had to think of something fast.

"I mean, it's all just in my head, but it still gets to me." You picked up your pace and walked faster.

The taller man fell a bit quiet as his mind dissected the words you just spoke.

"Look!" You pointed at the exit of the botanical garden. The exit of the garden of course was the entrance to the restaurant. It wasn't directly connected, but there was a long glass hallway.

"Come on, let's get something to eat!"

The two of you head out of the dome and into the establishment. It was much more extravagant than one would expect it to be. It was spacious with its high cherry wood ceilings. The lights were dim from the white paper lanterns hanging down. There were tables that seated four out on the floor, and booths that were hidden in private rooms. It was very poetic, and you sort of wanted to smack yourself for immediately thinking about Gladio upon entering.

"Can we get one of the private booths please?" You spoke to the host as he guided the two of you away.

"The booth costs extra just to let you know." The host pulled open the sliding door and allowed the two of you to enter.

"That's fine." Ignis gave a polite nod as he followed behind you.

Was he going to be like Gladio where he insisted on paying the bill? Would you ever get to pay for anything? Not even half?

You took a seat on the circular black couch and you could just dissolve right into it. It was so soft, but probably not the best for your back. You grimaced a little from sitting directly on your healing tattoo, but no matter, it wouldn't ruin a good time.

Inside the room was even dimmer than the restaurant itself. There was enough light to see the menu, but you could tell they were going for a particular mood here. Maybe bringing a friend wasn't the best idea for this type of place. It was too late now.

You grabbed a menu from the holder behind you and passed one to Ignis. You kept the other to yourself and took a look. It didn't take long to find the plant you were looking for. The colors were much different than anything else on the page.

"This is the one. The-" Your words cut a moment short as you felt your phone vibrate in your purse.

Taking it out you saw a text from Noctis. It just read 'What did you do'? Before you got a chance to respond your phone vibrated again reading 'PUNKASS'! Your teeth revealed from behind your red wine lips as you read the text.

"Aww, someone's cranky." You giggled as you put your phone back inside your purse.

"Noct?" Ignis questioned with a bit of concern.

"He'll be fine." You waved off the subject.

Man you were a passive aggressive son of a bitch when you wanted to be. You left him with a meal that was much more suitable for Ignis rather than Noctis. That being said, it was heavy on the vegetables and protein.

Your eyes focused in on the centerpiece atop the table, and your fingers came to fidget with your red diamond necklace. You didn't know why you always did that, but it was second nature.

"Red diamond?" Ignis asked in the manner of a question even though he already knew the answer. "That's one of the most expensive jewels in the world. One that size must've cost-"

"Don't tell me!" You practically lunged over the table to put a hand over his mouth. You remove your freshly ungloved hand from his face and sit back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to touch your face. I just don't want to know the price or guilt will devour me. It was a gift."

His green eyes fixated on the necklace, "Well, I'll say whomever gave it to you must care for you very much."

"Yeah." You tucked the small chain back inside your pea coat.

Your eyes eased up as the server entered the room. "Hello, are you ready to order?"

You pointed at the menu, "I see that the Corpse Flower comes with the Rose Salad, so I'll take that."

The woman took your menu and smiled, "That has become a very popular dish these days. This restaurant is the only place in the that you can find it." She turned to Ignis, "And for you sir?"

"Same please." He gave a gracious nod and she was on her way out.

You put the menu's back in the holder and turned back to the man. You looked at the glass of water on your table and began to swirl around the straw. You didn't mean to, but your eyes just glazed over and your mind was out of this world.

"Something the matter?" Ignis leaned down to meet your eyes.

Raising up, you shook your head. "No!"

You hastily changed the subject before he could grill you for answers. "If you were trapped on an island and could only have one item, what would it be?"

Your questions were getting more random by the second, but he'd humor you on this one.

"A boat." He simply replied.

"No, Iggy, that's not how the game works." You scoffed, "You have to say something like a box of matches, or a knife."

"Ah, I see. Well what are the weather conditions on the island?"

"Ignis, no! You don't get to know the weather conditions." You put two fingers to your temple. "Pick one item of any kind, and pray for survival. Now go!"

"How about a care package with survival tools inside?"

You turn to the man with wide eyes, "You better be messing with me! A care package would count as multiple items. There can only be one!"

"A box of matches doesn't exactly qualify as one item either."

He was right. Leave it to Ignis to find some kind of loophole. "Sure, have your survival kit. I'll be on my island with my giant tv, thanks."

"Is it solar powered?" He asked not to be cynical, but truly questioning.

"Damn straight, and it comes with all the good channels." Your eyes shifted from left to right as if you thought of that to begin with.

Just as he was going to continue the conversation, the door slid open once again. The server carried two rather sizable plates of the rare salad. The it consisted of deep green leaves mixed in with eatable rose petals and a small dwarf Corpse Flower as garnish. Atop the salad where cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots.

Normally the smell of the Corpse Flower was putrid, but it hadn't reached that stage in its life yet.

You picked up the flower and smiled from its presence. "Have a taste. Maybe you can help me out a little?"

The man picked up his flower and peeled it back to reveal the fruit on the inside. He picked off one of the berries and tossed it into his mouth. His eyes amplified as the peculiar taste took refuge all throughout his mouth. The taste was absolutely jarring, and he didn't need to think twice about eating it again.

"Pretty weird huh?" You twirled around your flower. "I know this was used, but I just don't know how."

"This dish." He took a short breath in between his words to recover from the taste. "It is not native to Insomnia."

Your heart dropped as he was so perceptive. You knew that, but how did he know? Just from taste alone?

"Is it giving you any ideas? Have you had this?" Your head tilted inquiringly.

"There are very limited recipes that use this flower. I can prepare it for you, but it may take some time."

"Really?!" Your eyes widened in absolute excitement. "Thank you so much! Even if you don't figure it out, I appreciate you trying."

You picked up the salad fork and stared dully at the food before you. You kind of sided with Noct on this one. Although you weren't as bad as he was, you preferred not to eat too many vegetables at once.

"So, you going to the Winter Formal tomorrow?" You harshly swallowed your salad.

The food tasted like a lightly sweetened garden salad. Definitely not your forte.

"I am required to, yes. How about yourself?"

You twiddled around with the cherry tomatoes on your plate, "I'm staying in. I'd rather people not see me turn back into a pumpkin when the clock strikes 12. Besides, I don't have a date."

Ignis held his fork in place and gazed at your somber face. "There aren't a lot of people in this world who walk around with the self-assurance that you do. You don't seem like the type to stay home because things didn't go your way. I'd be surprised if you did."

"So what are you saying? I should go by myself?" There was something sadistic about the way you punctured the tomato and watched the extracts pour out.

"You should do what makes you feel comfortable, and not because of outside influences." He finished up his last bite of the salad and set his fork aside.

You lightly elbowed the man, "Well look at you. My official confidant. I finally pulled more than one word out of you." Your eyes looked up at the paper lantern as you sat back. "Thanks Iggy. I guess we'll see."

You sassily narrowed your eyes. "And I expect you to use me as a confidant as well. Everyone needs to talk sometime." You gave a playful wink, "I'll be offended if you don't. Okay, now let's get out of here."

You sat back up and your demeanor changed to perky once over, "Noct's probably trying to put a fork inside an electrical socket right now, so back to babysitting for you."

"You're not coming back?"

"Nah, I have some things I need to take care of. This was fun though. Next time I'm gonna take you to an amusement park so I can really pull you out of your comfort zone. Don't worry, it won't be just me. I'll invite everyone so we can be extra annoying."

Another chuckle was hooked out of the man by you, "I'm looking forward to it."

.

 **Downtown : 11:58pm : 182 days**

You were presently sitting above the city on the roof of a high-rise building. It was peaceful up here. The honking and bustle from the streets down below were so minute from this point. You sat with your legs dangling down off the side, and in your lap was the head of Noctis. He lay on his back, and your hands coursed through his hair.

His eyes remained closed as you did, and it was a peaceful moment of calm between the two of you.

"Thanks for coming up here with me." Your voice quietly whispers to the boy.

"We do this every year. Where else would I be?" His blue eyes open up and look into yours.

"My turn for hair pets!" Prompto abruptly yells from the background.

You sigh and mutter loudly to Noctis, "See I told you we should have left Prompto at home." You guide the prince away and turn to face the eager blond boy. "Alright Prompt, get your ass over here."

Noctis sits beside you, and Prompto takes his former place in your lap.

Before you could touch his hair, he pulls out his camera and faces it toward you three. "Last day of Fall selfie! Say cheese!"

He snaps the photo and looks back at the reel. Quickly he sat up and showed you two the picture. "Look at that!"

In the photo it showed a snowflake blocking the lens. The three of you swiftly raise from where you're seated and look up at the sky.

"Right on time." Noctis held out his hand as the snow fell into his palm.

"Happy first day of Winter!" Prompto held his camera back up, "First day of Winter selfie!"

Again the photo snaps and the three of you revel in the freshly fallen snow.

"I was thinking something." Prompto turned to face you. "Getting a tattoo of my name seems a little harsh. You don't have to get it if you don't want to."

Your eyes broaden upon hearing the statement, and all you could think about was killing him with your bare hands. "You little shit! I already got it! You saw me walk into the tattoo parlor!"

Without hesitation, you jump on the boys back put him in a mild headlock. "Where was this sympathy earlier, huh?! You asshole!"

His strained voice enthusiastically as he spoke through your choking. "You did?! Lemme see! I wanna see it!"

"No!" You jump off his back. "You can't see it. It's on my ass." You held down the back of your skirt.

Noctis approached you and you flinched even though you knew he wouldn't try anything funny. "So, are you gonna go to the Winter Formal or not?"

"Why so pushy?" You put a faux offended hand to your chest.

"I just want to know if I should save room for you in the Regalia."

"Don't bother." You wave him off, "Save the room for your dates. While you guys are miserable and cold I'll be warm with hot cocoa and blankets."

"Fine." Noctis gave up with you right now. "If you change your mind in the next 19 hours let me know."

Your arms reached out into the still falling snow. "It's sweet of you to worry, but don't. I'll be okay. You guys have fun alright? No guilt trips, I promise."

You sounded so sure in your words, but there was a dash of guilt weighing on the boys. They couldn't show it though, because they knew it would make you feel shoddier. Today was finally the day of the Winter Formal. With only 181 calendar days left, this would be the last time you had to go. You told the boys you'd stay in, but something was telling you to go against your better judgement.


	5. The Winter Formal

**Apartment : 6:45pm : 181 days**

"Noctis, if you keep moving I'm gonna poke you in the eye and we're gonna have to start all over again."

"I'm gonna blink. Ahh, this burns a little. Why are you doing this again?" The young prince spoke in urgency.

You backed away from the boy's face. "Because guyliner suits you. It's badass, and as we know I am the expert on badassery. I didn't put too much, but your date will appreciate what I've done to you. Take a look."

You turned him around to face the mirror in his bathroom. He was dressed to the nines in his black and white tuxedo. You on the other hand were not. Your hair was up in a messy bun, and you had on your favorite fuzzy peach bunny pajamas.

You put both hands over your mouth as you looked at the prince, "Look how handsome you are!"

Your hand glided over the light switch as you pulled him out of the bathroom. "Come on. Altogether! I need to see you guys"

Individually you pulled Prompto and Ignis away from their doings and set the three in a line. Stepping back to take good look at the trio, you balled your hands up gleefully at your chest.

"You guys look so amazing!" You quickly picked up Prompto's camera from the lounge chair and faced the three again. "Picture time!"

You snapped away until your eyes caught the time. It was like you were their mother in a frenzy. "You guys don't wanna be late picking up your dates! Go! Go now!"

"Doesn't start until 7:30 you know. We can hang out here for a minute." Noctis crossed his arms as he leaned back on the kitchen counter.

"You have stops to make! Plus, I know women, and by the time you get to picking them up they'll just barely be putting on the finishing touches. Now scoot! You gotta go!"

You rushed to the door and pulled it open letting in the cool Winter's chill. As each one left you dusted their clothes off and straightened their ties. One by one you sent them off with kind parting words.

"Iggy, I can honestly say you only look about 8 percent better than you do on a normal day. Believe it or not, that's a good thing." You handed him the keys and he was out the door.

"Prompto, you look so dapper and handsome. Get out there and put down those wicked dance moves we all know you have!" You placed his camera into his hands, "And take lots of pics for me!"

Last but not least was Noctis. Before you could say anything he'd beat you to the punch. "You gonna be alright squirt? You sure you don't wanna go?"

Your head leaned back and your lips fixed into a smirk. "I'll be okay, seriously. Ignis made me some hot cocoa, and left me the recipe if I wanted more. Prompto brought over some of my favorite movies, and you are letting me stay the night. What more could I ask for? Now go. Have a good time, and don't think about me. I'm being serious Noct."

"Just make sure to lock up if you do decide to leave, okay?"

"Alright, alright." You shooed the boy out the door and locked it behind him.

You turned your back up against the slab and stayed there a moment. Your eyelashes came together and you just pondered on what the hell you were thinking. It was too late to turn back now. Your eyes opened, and you looked at the pile of videos Prompto left for you. He was such a sweetheart; they all were.

Before you decided to look through them all, you walked over to the kitchen counter to pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa. This was nice, but it would have been nicer with your friends. If only you could turn back time and not make that stupid bet. If you thought about it, it didn't matter anyway. Prompto was going to go regardless, you just lit a fire under him.

With the remote in hand, you turn on the 65 inch curved television and watch the news. Now what did you do that for? Every channel was breaking news about the Winter Formal. You didn't even need to watch the news, you could hear the loud music starting up from where you were. This was going to eat you alive all night, wasn't it?

Setting down the white ceramic mug, you walk over to the couch and just watch the news. Tears began to form in your eyes as you saw floods of people pouring into the mid-city. It wasn't that you felt left out, no. It was something bigger. These were the memories you needed to take you far in life. Memories you needed to look fondly upon in a dark time. Your hands shortly ran through your hair until they met the top of your bun.

"Dammit." You whispered in an exasperated tone.

Raising up from the couch, you walk over to the door and hover your hand over the knob. You were hesitant, and you thought about the words Ignis spoke the day before. You weren't the kind of person who stays home because things didn't go your way.

But maybe he was wrong. Your hand slipped down until only your fingertips were on the knob. Slowly you backed away and nestled yourself back onto the plush couch. You lay down in a ball and put your head against the armrest. Your lashes come together again and your guard completely drops. You wouldn't have to think about this dumb ball if you were asleep, right?

.

 **Mid-City : 8:57pm : 181 days**

The quartet that was Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus were altogether in the middle of this annual celebration. The city was decorated with high twinkling lights. Loud ballroom music could be heard for at least half a mile outside of the Mid-City.

People from all over gathered here dressed in their best and danced in celebration of the first Winter's day. Shops around the town were decorated in holly, and open for all of those in need of nourishment. A tall ice sculpture of the Glacian astral Shiva stood in the middle of a frozen fountain.

It was incredible how this place literally transformed overnight. Lanterns wielding blue fire were sent up in every which way to honor this great occasion.

The four were at a table veered off in the frozen grass. Close to one of the heaters is where Noctis sat. Prompto was on the other side shivering to death, and Ignis sat watching as the lovers and friends dance away to the ballroom music. Gladio stood a bit stoic as he was on duty watching over the prince. Yes these were his friends that he could easily drop his guard with, but tonight the security had to be tight. Shielding Noctis was priority number one.

The blond boy started, "It's so cold."

"It feels fine to me." Noct rubbed his hands by the toasty fire.

"Speaking of feels, doesn't it feel like something's missing?" Prompto looked out at the dancing couples.

"You mean like how we left our friend behind to come here? That kind of missing?" Noctis sarcastically replied.

"Yeah." His voice dipped in the zone of downheartedness. "Maybe we should have stayed behind with her?"

"Okay, if you guys are going to sit here and act like we don't exist, we're outta here!" Prompto's 'dream girl' irritatingly spoke to the boys.

Noctis' date was a bit hesitant to leave the prince, but ultimately, she didn't want to sit there and pout with him all night.

"I can hear her complaints about the freezing cold now." The blond boy fiddled with his camera.

Noctis chuckled, "Yeah, she'd probably be talking about how her toes were going to get amputated after this."

A light smile softened Ignis' face, "She's quite a character."

"We are so outta here!" The girls stood up from their seats and stormed off into the crowd.

What the hell was going on with these guys? They were so busy sulking that they didn't even care that their dates up and left them. Why did they even bother going anyway? Something just didn't feel right about you missing.

Prompto picked up his camera and began flashing pictures all around. He looked back through the lens and began to focus in. As his eye gained more clarity, he lowered the camera and his jaw surely followed.

"Would you look at that." Ignis smiled as he looked out by the large fountain.

"What?" Noctis looked around somewhat frantic.

Gladio's eyes amplified as he looked forward. Something caught his eye, and his body stiffened as his sights locked in.

There you were, sure enough in your white custom made Vivienne Westwood dress. It was a long flowing gown that fit exactly to the curves of your waist. The backless v-neck top showed off just the right amount of cleavage. The sleeves and top of the dress were transparent, but adorned with white flower patterns that tastefully covered your skin. The gown flowed all the way down in many layers of sheer material.

You didn't know if you'd ever get married in your life, but if not, this was the closest you'd get to being a bride.

The boys looked at you as you danced magnificently to the rhythm of your of your own tune. You didn't care who was around or who was looking, and that's what made you so gorgeous on this first Winter's night.

You twirled around in the falling snow and your hair flowed right behind you. What changed your mind? It was a mixture of everything, really.

You stopped for a moment and let the snow gather in your hands. Before you could relish too long, you saw lights flash behind you.

"Woo! Look at this girl!" Prompto yelled as he knelt down to take pictures of you like he was the paparazzi.

You turned around and saw Noctis' camera phone gleaming light on you as well. He'd put his fingers between his lips and give a good wolf whistle. "She's a 10 everybody! She's a 10!"

Their voices carried and they were making quite the scene. Even Ignis began to give you applause. Oh he started something now.

You looked like a deer in headlights as Prompto yelled out, "Round of applause everyone!"

It was unclear why, but the crowd did it. They faced you and gave you a standing ovation. You felt like Cinderella, no, better than Cinderella. You were yourself, and you had the best friends ever.

"Get over here!" You run over to the boys and wrap an arm around each of them. You plant a motherly kiss on each of their temple's leaving a slight red mark, "You guys are so embarrassing!"

Raising your head you see Ignis standing in the background, "You too Iggy!"

The man was hesitant, but you weren't having any of it. You dropped your arms from the boys and walked over to the man. You stop just at his feet and bind your arms around him. He was surprised, but he didn't deny your happiness. He hugged you back and it was nice to see him loosen up even if just for a moment.

As you backed away you didn't even notice Gladio. You'd always seen him in his street clothes. Today he didn't look like that. Today he looked straight laced in his uniform with not a single hair out of place. It took everything in him to stand still, however. He couldn't touch you or be flirty like normal. Not while he was on duty. It was because of that nature that you failed to even acknowledge his presence.

You backed away from Ignis and looked left and right. "Where are the girls? Where are your dates?"

Prompto looked down in a fit of disappointment, "We kinda blew it."

"You knuckle heads!" Your fist drives into Prompto's shoulder. "I guess it doesn't matter. It ended how it's supposed to. The 3 Amigos!"

"More like 4 Amigos." The blond boy gestured to Ignis.

"Five." Noctis pointed at Gladio still standing far away.

It was then that your eye caught a glimpse of the militant man. Your pupils intensified as you looked at him. You didn't think really, you just acted. You walked over to the man and looked up at his clean cut self.

Your hand ran across his freshly shaven jawline, "Were you just going to stay back here all night? No hello?" You remove your hand and place it on your hip.

"I'm on duty." His response was unmeaning to be impassive, but that's what it came off as.

You weren't even going to do this right now. You turned away, but you felt his hand grab your arm. With your back turned, he pulled you in for a brief moment.

Leaning down he'd whisper in your ear. "Save me the last dance."

With that he'd place his hands behind his back and reclaim his tough posture. You tried to deny it, but he was beginning to have you wrapped around his finger. It was such torture! Why did he have a personality that fit yours so well?

You look over your shoulder in sultry style, "Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

You made your way over to the boys once again. Before you reached them, you knelt down and balled up a pile of snow in your hands. Rearing back, you'd chuck the ice and hit the side of Noct's cheek just as he turned to face you. It was both hard and unsuspecting.

He didn't waste time on getting you back. He quickly gathered the snow and threw it in your direction.

Again, you pat together a snowball and threw it at Prompto. The blond boy was not gonna take that. Both he and Noctis were locked and loaded ready to get you back. You gasped quickly as you knew you were getting ready to feel a barrage of snow.

You picked up the excess of your dress and ran behind Ignis. "Help me Iggy!"

Your hands clenched to the man's jacket, and to your surprise he put up a protective arm as if he were holding you back. You looked past his arm to get a quick status report, and your face was met with a frosty ball of ice.

"Stand back." Ignis slightly rose his voice at you. His arm backed you up a bit more behind him as he did.

You turned around so your back was to his, and you gathered some snow in your hands. With Ignis as your shield, there was no way you'd lose this snowball fight.

Leave it to you 3 to start some shenanigans at a formal event. People slow dancing by the fountain were now spreading out so they didn't get caught up in your foolery.

You placed a hand on Ignis' shoulder and kept the snowball in the other. You use him as means to jump just a bit higher. You throw the icy sphere in the direction of Noctis and just barely miss his arm.

"What's it gonna be Ignis?" Noctis tossed the ball in the air; up and down.

Prompto followed suit and the two of them circled you both. "Protect the prince, or the girl?"

Ignis fell silent. You worried that he would switch sides on you. If he left you, you were as good as dead in this game.

The taller man turned to face you and his eyes met your sad puppy face for the first time. He paused for a moment before speaking.

"I'm sorry."

Your eyes widened even further. "You're going to leave me?"

He shook his head, "My hands may be a touch chilly."

"What?" You breathily whispered.

Before he replied to you, he put an arm around your shoulder and a hand to the back of your head. He pulled you close to his chest and turned quickly as he took all the snowballs meant to hit you.

It seemed quite out of character for Ignis to go along with this little game. He seemed more like the type to sit back and roll his eyes rather than be on the front lines. Maybe it was because he knew you'd pull him into it anyway… or, already did.

In dramatic fashion you yelled, "No! Iggy! I'll avenge you!"

You pulled out of his grasp and ran away from the firing zone. The boys weren't gonna let you get away that easily. They chased you down, but they didn't need to run too far.

Of course this would happen to you. You tripped on the long material of your dress and your game life flashed before your eyes.

Your arm came up to block your face, "T-truce?"

Noctis shook his head, "Not a chance squirt."

As he reared back he felt a snowball hit him in the back of the head. Prompto rubbed the snow off his neck as he felt the same. The two looked back, and Ignis was brushing the ice off his suit. It was clear that the attack wasn't from him. Looking a bit further down was a suspicious Gladiolus with his head turned up.

This was your chance. With their attentions turned, you jumped up on Noctis' back. As he staggered to the ground you pulled Prompto down with you. The three of you lay there in the snow laughing hysterically.

"I have snow in my nose!" You laughed to tears as you wiped away the ice.

"My butt's freezing!" Prompto scrunched his nose as he rubbed his side.

"Let's get back to the heater." Noct stood up and gave you a helping hand.

You never went to the Winter Formal before. You always thought it was about dancing and enjoying the company of a lover. That could be the case for someone else, but not for you. For you, Winter Formal was hanging out with the people you love; your friends.

This was one for the memory bank. It was something you would never forget, and for that you were thankful.

.

 **Mid-City : 12:09am : 180 days**

The lights were fading out, and the city was returning to its normal self. You sat there at the fountain in the dimmed lights of a sleepy metropolitan. You scrolled through the pictures on your phone from the good night you'd just had. Your tongue ran across your red lips, and you sighed in adoration.

You stood up from the fountain and stretched your arms to the night's sky. A small groan bellowed from your throat as you did. It was late, and time to go home. You pulled up your dress and started your trek through the snow.

"Hey."

You turned around to find the disembodied voice. Looking left and right, you just couldn't find them. No matter, you had ground to make, so you continued forward. The frigid weather outside had you regretting turning down Noctis' offer for a ride home.

You held your arms once again as the chill of the night had a bite worse than its bark. For a brief moment you feel a warm hand touch your arm and turn you around. Who else could you count on to catch you off guard than Gladiolus? Your eyes directed upwards to his and your lips pursed from hiding a smile.

"You were gonna leave without saving me a dance?" He crossed his arms with an eyebrow raised.

"I said maybe." You sigh dramatically knowing full well that you were excited to dance with this man. "Fine, lets get this over with."

There was no music. It was just you, him, and the silence of the night. You placed your hand in his, and he put his other atop your mid back. Your arm came around him and you flinched from the frigidness of his jacket.

"Ugh, you're freezing." You take a step back.

Releasing your hand, Gladio unbuttons his jacket and opens it outward. "Come here; let's try that again."

You put your arms around him and he wraps you up in his pleasantly thermal jacket. His strapping arms pull you in and hold you close. Your head rests on his chest, and you can still smell the refreshing scent of the body wash he used earlier. This was the embrace you didn't want to admit you yearned for. The two of you swayed back and forth. Your eyes shut and your heart was scampering. Your cheek muscles pulled upwards as you smiled from the slight tickle of the butterflies in your stomach.

Dammit, he had you. This wasn't what you wanted, and damn sure not what you were looking for. You undoubtedly wanted to avoid getting close to Noct's people, but this you couldn't help. Maybe there was still a ray of hope to getting out of this. All you needed to do was confirm your feelings. Did you just like to flirt with the man, or was there really something there?

"Gladio." You looked up at him with honest eyes. Your chin rested on him as you did.

"Hm?" He peered down at you imperceptibly puzzled.

Without waiting for his command, you stood on your toes and put your lips to his. Your eyes closed, and you lingered against him for a moment. Your lips resonantly smacked as you pulled away.

"Shit." You whispered almost inaudibly under your breath.

Now was his time to make the move. He didn't wait for you to ponder on your feelings. He lifted your chin back up and placed short passionate pecks against your lips.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He wasn't going along with the script you already wrote in your head. He was supposed to be some guy you met once in the park and your paths would never cross again. It was never supposed to escalate this far.

You pulled away once more and pressed a hand against his stomach to create some distance. "I won't let you sway me that easily. You gotta earn it."

He rubbed his lightly red stained lips together, "You're really eager for that second date aren't you?"

"No!" You cross your arms defensively, "I saw how you were looking at me tonight. I'd say you're more restless than I am."

Gladio laughed with a wide smile now gracing his face. "You saw me looking at you? Then that means you were looking at me."

Your eyes tilt upwards toward the sky, "I may have glanced one time."

"I was looking at you too. You know that." He'd take off his jacket and place it around your arms. "Are you gonna let me take you home this time?"

"Nope." You fiercely shook your head. "I can take it from here."

"I'm not letting you go that easily this time."

Your shoulders dropped as you released a sigh. "Guess we're gonna freeze our asses off all night then."

Your hand reached up and you rubbed a thumb across his lips to clean up the excess lipstick. "Don't press this Gladio."

The look in his eyes told you that he was standing firm on this one. You had to counter it with a middle standing if you ever wished to leave.

"How about you take me to the end of my block? Happy medium? Come on, my feet are getting cold!"

His eyes directed downward at you, and he took a long exhale. The condensation of the cold air rose upwards as he did. "You're so mouthy."

"Shut me up." You cackled, literally daring him to act.

He hastily wrapped his arms around you and held you vulnerable in your position. His lips kissed your jawline and you began to squirm.

"No!" You laughed, "No more kisses! Okay, I'll stop running at the mouth!"

He released you and you dramatically gasped for air. His head shook at your theatrical performance.

"Come on cold feet. Let's get going."

You nodded in agreement and followed the man.

.

 **Home : 12:32am : 180 days**

"This is it." You pointed at your street. "Don't try anything funny like waiting to see which house I walk into."

Gladio pulled his car over and put it in park, "Never that."

He was surprised by your neighborhood. It was so normal. Every house seemed so cookie cutter, so what was there to hide? Then again, you were secretive about your own name, so maybe it was just your personality.

You unbuckled your seat belt and slowly let it slide through your hand. "Thank you. Call me the next time you're free. The five of us should hang out again, but when you're off duty."

"Five?" Gladio frowned.

"Yes, five. I told Ignis I'd take him to an amusement park with everyone. I can't be known as someone who doesn't keep their word."

The big man crossed his arms as if he knew you were spewing some bullshit. "Ignis? Ignis Scientia wanted you to take him to an amusement park?"

You put a finger to your bottom lip, "Well, not exactly, but it's gonna happen anyway."

"We'll see how that goes. Iggy ain't exactly the amusement park type."

You crossed your arms and looked out the window at the continuous falling snow. "I'm very persuasive when I want to be."

"You think you are."

Your head whipped back in his direction, "I know I am."

"Mkay." He knew that you were a pretty stern woman, but at the same time, he knew that you knew he was much more dominant than you.

"I am so outta here." You scoffed at his simple reply. "Goodnight Gladiolus." You opened the door and looked over your shoulder as you slipped off his jacket. You revealed your open back dress once again, and dammit if it wasn't so alluring.

You turned back to him briefly and grabbed his face. You brought yours closer until you were a short breath's distance apart.

"Sorry, no kiss goodnight. You've exceeded your limit." Your graceful hands released his face, and you exited the car like the kittenish person you were.

Gladio rolled down the window of his car, "Half-Pint."

"You called?" You turned your head, and your precious eyes looked back at him as you continued to walk away.

"You're a tease."

You put a hand to your lips and blew him a tantalizing kiss, "Oh yes!"


	6. Video Games and Chill

**Apartment : 5:35pm : 176 days**

It was well past lunch time. Your cooking lesson was done for the day, and you already enjoyed a delicious meal with Noct and Ignis. In fact, it was creeping up on dinner, but against Ignis' will you'd probably be eating junk food all night instead of a proper meal.

You were currently in Noct's living room waiting for the rest of the guys to show up. Game night originally started with you and Noctis. As time went on, it extended to Prompto, and as of today it would be you plus the quartet.

You lay lethargic with your legs in the young prince's lap, and your head set on the armrest of the lavish couch.

You loved lazy days like this. Just lying around in Noct's clothes and hanging out. He never complained about you wearing his things, but he didn't understand why you did. They fit very oddly on you.

Noctis had a hand under his chin as he halfheartedly flicked past the channels. He looked to his right to see you cheesing ever so widely at your phone. You twirled your hair around your finger as your other hand went back to texting.

The prince narrowed his eyes at you. "Who are you texting? Why are you so happy?"

You rolled over to face the television a bit more. "Gladio. He's so ridiculous." You chuckled as you reviewed your conversation.

"Something you wanna tell me?"

Your legs retract and your toes curl inward. "About me and Gladio? Ask him when he gets here." You teased.

"When did that happen?" He spoke in a placid tone.

"I'm kidding Noct. We're just friends." You bury your face into your phone.

He held out his hand, "Let me see your phone then."

"No!" You pulled the phone out of his reach.

The prince nodded with a smug look on his face, "Never took you for one to sext, but hey..."

"We are not sexting!" You shouted with no part of your voice sounding convincing.

Truthfully you weren't sexting Gladio. You just often sent flirty texts to one another, and you'd be damned if Noctis saw any of them.

"You're blushing squirt."

"No I'm not!" Your hands immediately cover your cheeks.

You sit up with one leg tucked beneath you and the other hanging from the couch. "Stop looking at me."

The prince laughed at your red face, "In the 6 years that I've known you I've never seen you show an interest in anyone."

"Okay so I think he's pretty cool. It's nothing to get your royal panties in a twist over." Your hands wave frantically.

"I know you do. Kiss yet?"

You growled loudly, "Stop it! You're acting like Prompto!" Your foot pressed against his side as you pushed him away.

You just had to get involved with the prince's bodyguard, didn't you? Actually, it wasn't your fault, it was Gladio's! He pursued you! You would have been fine never seeing him again after you lied to him in that park! But if you were being honest with yourself, you were happy it didn't go that way.

"Well, as long as you guys don't start cheating for each other during game night I don't care. But did you?"

"Ignis!" You yelled out, "Noctis is being annoying!"

The man looked down from his book as he sat in the comfy chair to the side. "Now Noct, it's rude to press someone about the details of their love life."

Noctis crossed his arms and sunk into the couch, "Gladio always complains about how easy you are on me, but you're so much easier on her."

The sandy blond man didn't feed into the prince's words and simply continued to read his novel. It was true though, Ignis was remarkably easy on you, and it could have everything to do with you being the only one who helps him in the kitchen.

You hear the door handle turn, "Who's ready to get their ass kicked in Smash Bros?!" Prompto gleefully yelled from behind his giant bag of junk food.

"Yeah right Prompto." You walked over and rummaged through his bag of goodies. "Your Pikachu has nothing on my Captain Falcon."

Noctis remained quiet on this one. He was the secret killer of this game. The undisputed champion if you will.

You finally just take the bag from Prompto and dump the contents onto the coffee table. You could always count on him to bring the good stuff. You grabbed a small chocolate pastry and delved right in. Your sweet tooth would be more than satisfied by the end of this night.

"What games are we gonna play?" You looked around the room, speaking with a full mouth.

"Obviously Smash! I mean, it wouldn't be game night without one of us storming off in the heat of battle." The blond boy hopped over the back of the couch and plopped right next to Noctis.

"We should probably save that for last." You point over to Noct, "What about you?"

"Mario Kart." Noctis nodded attempting to hold back a smile.

You gave him a military salute, "Yes sir! I'm down for that." Your attention turned again to Ignis, "Hey."

You walked over and took the book from his hands. "Don't think you're getting out of this Iggy. I'm making you play. Oh, and King's Knight is off limits because that game can go on literally forever."

Your forceful words always seemed to tickle the man. His eyes closed a moment as he released a light chuckle. You had this way of including him by force; it was both endearing and amusing.

You set his book on the counter and paced around, "We always get caught up playing Smash, so it seems like we'll be set for the night on that note."

The door opened once more, and there was the final piece to this puzzle. This time your heart dropped, but you didn't know why. The cat was already out of the bag about you two, but you were still weary of Prompto finding out. It's not like you two were official or anything. Just casual dating. But you'd all see how that would bode tonight.

"I brought some drinks." Gladio set a bag down on the counter. They were non-alcoholic considering you were all underage.

"Gladio." Noct tossed him a controller, "Come on, we're about to start."

"What are we playing?"

You looked back with slight mischief on your face, "Mario Kart, first person to 5 wins."

"Hmph, starting off the night with a bang." He walked over to the couch with a cold water in hand.

Noctis nonchalantly pointed at the chair opposite Ignis, "I'm gonna sit over here. You and Gladio can have the couch. I wanna get a better view."

Prompto scooted down and took your seat, so you sat where he formally was in the middle.

Your eyes rolled at Noct's words. You didn't know if he did that on purpose or not. "You mean me, Gladio AND Prompto can share the couch."

You knew you should have just told Noct you were just reading a funny article on the internet. This game night was going to haunt you. It wasn't the simple fact of you caring about everyone knowing, but you at least wanted to be defined as a couple first. Hell, it hadn't even been that long.

Finally Mario Kart loaded up and you were in the menu screen. Everyone quickly scrambled to their favorite characters. You picked Waluigi, Prompto was Yoshi because he's a cheater, Noctis picked Baby Luigi, and Gladio chose Peach. Ignis would watch this round so he could figure out the mechanics of the game.

The clock counted down and you were off! You leaned in and focused on your small box. Whoever lost had to give up their controller, and you were not ready for that yet! This game was yours to lose, however. Prompto was generally the best, and so the race was really between you, Gladio, and Noctis. For some reason there was no smack talk. Probably because it was the first game and you were holding out for Smash Bros.

"How can I get hit with a fucking blue shell when I'm not even in first place?!" You stood up from the couch. You weren't an angry person, but these games messed with you, hard.

"Bye bye, squirt!" Noctis casually drove past you.

Scratch that on the smack talk. Wherever there was you, Noct, and a video game, there were bitter words to be exchanged.

"It's lonely up here." Prompto drove like he was on a casual Sunday drive from his cushy spot in first place.

"I swear I'm gonna personally kill the dumbass who thought of these damn bananas as an item!" Gladio barked at the television.

You sat back down and enjoyed the view from 7th place. The music of the last round sped up, and while everyone else was keyed up, you were not. You'd soon enough be handing that controller right over to Ignis.

"Come the hell on with this red shell! I'm already in 7th... 8th... 11th place!" You just didn't even care anymore. This race was toooorture!

Nearing the end was Prompto. The smile on this boy's face was so big. He was just seconds away from glory aaaaand...

"Peach?!" The smaller blond yelled.

"Photo finish baby!" Gladio lifted his arms in victory.

"5th." Noctis casually tenuously spoke.

Your arm extended and you passed the controller to Ignis, "Here Iggy. Slay these idiots."

"You mad?" Gladio nudged you.

You pouted and turned your head from him, "That was only round one. I haven't played this in a while, okay?"

You stood up from the couch and went to grab a drink off the counter. You grabbed a tea twisted off the cap. As annoyed as you were from that crappy round you just played, you were having a lot of fun, and the night had only just started. Even if you did continue to lose in Mario Kart, you knew that you'd at least play every other round because Ignis was absolutely shitty at this game.

You almost choked on your drink as you watched the tall blond get brutally slaughtered by his own green shell. What a tragedy to see Mario take such a beating. Man these rounds were going by so quickly, and at this rate Gladio was going to get a clean sweep. You weren't opposed to it though, you just wanted to play Smash already. You knew if you just sabotaged the game a little that you'd get your way.

"It's your turn." Ignis handed you the controller.

"Thanks." You cracked your knuckles and prepared for the ultimate sabotage.

Again you were off, and you had complete tunnel vision. You stretched out your arms and 'accidentally' bumped Prompto's controller from his hands. "Oops, so sorry."

"Watch it!" The boy snatched up his controller and regained focus.

Slowly you crept a hand to one of the small bag of chips and threw it at Noctis. "Thought you could use a mid game snack." The flurry didn't stop until you saw him veer off course.

"I swear if you don't stop throwing chips at me!" The prince flipped you off while still looking at the screen.

You didn't want it seem like you were doing Gladio any favors, so while no one was looking you snuck in a quick peck to his jaw. It was fast, but enough to sway his attention for a moment.

"Oh my goodness! How did I get in first place?! That's so crazy!" You fictitiously rode to the finish line.

Just as you were getting ready to cross over, the game pauses and Noct stands up. "I'm putting in Smash Bros right now!"

"Petty prince." You grinned deviously, "Let's do it then. I'm not afraid of your Kirby."

Yes actually, you were. You figured if you and Prompto double teamed him you'd have some kind of fighting chance though. Friendships were already being tested, and the game wasn't even in yet. As Noctis set up for the next game you cunningly move close to the blond boy.

Whispering in a low tone, your eyes shift left and right. "Four fists are stronger than two if you're picking up what I'm putting down."

"Oh I think I know what you're saying." Prompto's whisper turned into a shout. "Alright so we're doing teams. Me and Noct versus you, Gladio and Ignis."

Your eyes widened from his suggestion. That's not what you were proposing at all! Noctis was the reigning champ, and Prompto was a close second. Ignis was probably as good as he was in Mario Kart, and you never saw Gladio play before.

Despite your frustration, you had to keep up your fearless facade. "Pffft, you sure? Don't wanna send little irritated Noct off to bed early."

"I can't wait to kick your ass." The prince cut his eyes at you.

Your back leaned up against Gladio's arm, and your feet pressed against Prompto's thigh. "Get off this couch! Only team 'We're Gonna Fucking Kill You' can sit here! Come on Iggy."

Prompto laughed as you forced him out of his seat, "You're right. The chairs are better suited for team 'If You Lose You've Gotta Do Our Laundry For A Month'."

"Is that a bet?" Your tongue traced the top row of your teeth.

"Come get some." Noctis smugly grinned at you.

You put a hand on both Gladio and Ignis' shoulder, "Can I count on you guys?"

"I'll give it my best shot." Ignis reassured you.

"You must've never seen me play." Gladio side eyed you slightly offended that you'd dare doubt his skills.

It was back on! You were Captain Falcon, Prompto was Pikachu, Noctis was Kirby, Ignis was Zelda, and Gladio played... Princess Peach, again.

Your leg shook slightly from the nerves. The stock was at 5, and the level was the flat plane of Final Destination. This would be good. The timer counted down, and as soon as you could, you all went at each other. It was a mad house. Your eyes nearly bulged out from their sockets as Prompto and Noctis were much better than you even recalled... which was crazy because you recalled them being amazing!

You were focused, and as long as you three locked in on one target you'd be good to go. The percentage rose on Prompto's Pikachu, and with one final blow you got the first kill of the night.

"Woo!" You stood up and pointed to Prompto, "Show me ya moves!"

As your attention was focused on Prompto, Noct used that opening to hit you clean off the grid. You looked at him biting your bottom lip.

"Hi." The prince waved at you.

Yes, now was probably a good time for you to sit back down and focus. Gladio was not looking too hot, but Ignis was hanging in quite well. The boys knew Gladio was the best out of you three, and they needed to kill him first. He was down to 1 stock already, but things could still be in your favor if you just utilized the time you had with him.

"Get off Peach you bastards!" You holler as you attempt to save his final life. No dice; they were too quick, and now it was down to you and Ignis.

"Thanks for trying." Gladio put a friendly hand on your thigh and you completely froze up.

He didn't keep it there very long, but the break was lengthy enough to give the other team another opening they needed. You just had sensitive legs, and they were extremely ticklish. He noticed your little pause, and maybe this was a good time for payback. He didn't care that you were on his team.

He put his hand back on your thigh and gave a light squeeze. You didn't want to overreact and draw attention, but you held your breath to conceal your laughter. He did it again, and this time your back arched a bit off the couch. Your performance was significantly decreasing, and you just hoped that everyone's attention would continue to be on the screen. Especially Ignis since he was right next to you.

Gladio's hand moved up a bit higher and he clutched your thigh once more. You twisted your body so your back was facing Ignis. You brought your legs up so that your feet were on the couch now. You didn't know how that would help, but you figured at worst Ignis wouldn't see.

Your voice lowered to a near muted whisper, "I'm gonna kick the shit outta you." You attempted not to laugh as you looked up Gladio.

He'd stand up from the couch and you were honestly relieved that you could focus back on the game again. He needed to get a drink or something, because he was getting too restless.

Your eyes focused on the game, and before you knew it you felt Gladio's lips kiss just below your ear. He'd linger there for a moment and nibble at your skin. He didn't care who saw, but you did.

Your shoulder rises to your ear as you pull away, and you unleash a high shriek, "Ahhh! I can't do this!"

Your mind scrambled to think of words to explain yourself. "You guys keep double teaming me!"

That was your last man. Ignis was the only one left, so it was looking like laundry duty for you.

You sprung from the couch and you were getting ready to silently assassinate Gladio. You walked over to him with a reared back fist.

You gave him a light punch to the arm before hopping on his back.

You growl in a low tone, "I'm gonna get you back for making me lose." Your teeth sink into his ear and frivolously pull back. You just hope that no one looks behind the couch for any reason.

Before things escalate, you rapidly slide off his back upon hearing 'Player 2 defeated' ringing in your ears. Somehow Ignis managed to kill Prompto. What a turn of events that was.

"Iggy!" You ran back to the couch, "You're winning?!"

No one ever played against him in this game, but that didn't mean he wasn't good at it. Now that it was one on one, the level of skill this man had was clear. He was kicking so much ass! One last hit kicked Noct clean off the platform.

"Ignis! Wha- how!?" You couldn't even stitch a sentence together.

The man nonchalantly set the remote on the coffee table and sat back with a smirk of triumph.

"Team 'We're Gonna Fucking Kill You' lives to fight another day." Gladio proudly looks at the screen.

"Rematch." Noctis replies in a slightly raised voice.

"But this time we get Iggy!" Prompto pled.

"No! You can't have my Iggy!" You sit back on the couch and possessively grab his arm. "Take Gladio instead!"

Gladio began to walk over to you. He was gonna make you regret those words. "Take who instead?"

Before he could get to you, you felt your phone vibrating in your back pocket. You took it out and looked at the person calling. Your entire demeanor changed upon seeing the name. You were now stiff and a little off kilter.

"One second, I need to take this." You hold up a finger as you walk back to the bathroom.

You answer the phone upon closing the door, and your voice gains seriousness. "Yes?"

The person speaks on the other line and you pace around the room. Your hand rubs the back of your neck nervously as you listen.

"Of course. I'm on my way now." You hang up the phone and clench it in your grasp.

You had to go, like now. It would be hard to explain to the boys, but you'd rather face their scolding than the consequences of your absence elsewhere.

Leaving the room, you head straight back to the front door. "Hey, um. I just got a call from my neighbor. Benedict got out and she needs me to pick her up from her house."

"Alright cool. You need a ride over?" Noct offered.

"N-no. I'm just gonna walk. I've gotta pick up a few things and take her on a walk anyway."

"You're coming back though right? With Benedict?" Prompto inquisitively blinked.

"Yeah, I'll only be an hour or so. See you soon." You opened the door and hoped no one would stop to question you further.

You didn't know if or when you'd be back tonight. You'd just rather leave and get questioned later rather than face the interrogation now. This couldn't possibly have been worse timing. Right in the middle of game night too. There was always something getting in your way of a good time.

 **Unknown : 7:42pm : 176 days**

You stood in a large hollowed out warehouse. Inside was nothing but targets hanging from the ceiling and walls. It was dim inside, but just enough light to see. You stood in the center, and off to the side was the black clothed person from the park weeks prior.

"You wanted to meet me?" You stood with a straightened back and hands behind you.

"Your training." They slid over a compound bow to you. "I'm here to access you." Following the bow was a quiver of steel arrows.

"We're doing this now? Must it be at this time?" You reached for the items and hoisted the quiver over your shoulder.

"Something more important than your life?"

"No." Your discouraged head shook. "I thought you'd be in Altissia until my days were over."

The daffodil eyed person began to circle you. "Do you think I'm some kind of fool?" Their eyes narrow, "Altissia may be where I rest, but I will come back every so often to access your abilities. To make sure that you are not declining like you have done in the weeks past. You will not know when I show up. So you better straighten up, and watch how you speak to me."

"I apologize." Your quick mouth stops, and you regain the utmost respect.

You knew coming here could go one way or another. Quick, or you could be here all night dipping into the wee hours of the morning.

"Hit the target. Bullseye, and you may leave." The person pointed at the target directly across from you.

Simple, you'd be out of here in no time. You took the phone from your pocket and set it on the ground. Your hand reached for an arrow on your back and you aimed it at the target. Closing your left eye, you pulled back and released. You confidently watch as the arrow lands on its intended target.

You weren't some girl that was instantly good at everything, no. Getting precise aim like that took many years of blood sweat and tears. It'd been weeks since you picked up your bow, but your skill didn't decline any.

"So, that's all for the night then?" You harmlessly look over.

"It is unwise to assume. Go check your arrow."

You walked over just as told. Looking at the target you see it's in the center, but just a couple millimeters short of being perfectly symmetrical. We're they really being this nitpicky?

"That can be the difference between ending a man's life and creating a minor flesh wound. Do it again. Bullseye. Two targets and you're free to go."

It was going to be one of those nights. You walked back to the center of the space and as you reached for an arrow. Your shoulders flinched as you heard your phone ring. It sat on the hard cement vibrating.

The noise echoed throughout the tumultuous structure. It was Noctis calling. You'd been gone for a while now and he was most likely checking in to see if you were okay.

The buzzing reverberated in your ears, and it only got louder to you. It was the sound of your guilt and hindrances being laid at your feet. Two targets. Bullseye. You could do this.

One... and two. Perfect. No sweat off your back. You'd look back for confirmation.

Their head shook in disappointment. "Aldercapt won't take kindly to feeble little girls. Three targets. Bullseye. Lace up, because we may see dawn break at this rate."

There was a reason for this madness. It was an impossible situation. One that you wish you could explain to the boys. What were you training for exactly? Rank, and one that you didn't care to have exactly. Your eyes wandered again as your phone buzzed with a text message. There was something about it that made you exceptionally discontented this night. Your eyes welled with tears as you reached for another arrow.

"Why do your tears fall?" Their raspy voice calls to you again. "This is all for the protection of you."

"I know." The back of your hand wipes away the glistening tear.

It was moments like this that reminded you why you were warned to stay away from the Lucis Caelum circle in the first place. It was like you told Ignis, the fear wasn't people abandoning you, but you abandoning them.


	7. Family Affair

**Unknown : 12:12am : 175 days**

Sweat dripped off the tip of your nose. You were absolutely sweltering. Your black shirt top clung to your skin from the profuse sweating. Your bandage wrapped hands rested on each knee as you panted for air. You had the compound bow strapped to your back, and it felt like 1000 pounds in the state you were in.

You grunted as you stood up. Your teeth grit as you held your ribs. "Gaah!" You tiredly screamed, "I can't do this!"

"Pick up the arrows, and start again." The black garbed person stared at you with unphased eyes.

The person stood just a few feet away from you. Their eyes were intimidating, and as much as you wanted nothing more than to throw in the towel, you knew that you couldn't.

You staggered to each target and pulled out the arrows. It wasn't the first time you trained this rigorously, but it'd been a while and you weren't prepared.

The band aid's around your fingers filled with blood as you pulled the last arrow.

You stand back in the center of the space and take the bow off your back. "I'm ready now."

There is no indication of when to go, you just do. Swiftly you pull the arrows one by one from the hoist on your back. You tug back to the full draw point and release at the targets. There is no time to see where they land, but you instead move on quickly. You bloody the arrows with your sore hands as you loose them. You've been up to this for several straight hours with no break. Pain was temporary, and you had to remind yourself of that.

"Time!" You shout as you drop the bow from your hands.

You hit each target with a precise bullseye. You squint your eyes as you look around and you smirk from your success.

"20 targets in 44.95 seconds. Good, but not good enough. It should not take you over 4 hours to cease such a rudimentary request. Improve your stamina. Go on a run. When I see you again I expect you not to flounder after a few hours of instruction."

For the first time you see a tiny shred of remorse in those eyes. "I am not doing this out of barbarity. The wall of Insomnia will not heed everlasting refuge, and the empires assessment of you will not be as generous as mine. Get it together."

You were free to go, and that you would. You were ready to leave after the first few minutes, let alone over 4 hours of torment. It wasn't the time that made things torturous, but the intensity. There was a reason for this insanity, and at the end of your days it would all make sense. But for now, you were a girl with needs, and that need was to take a long hot bath.

As much as you wanted to go back to Noct's place and explain everything, you couldn't. You were in too bad of shape to meet up with anyone right now.

Your hands were so damaged and stiff, it felt like rigor mortis was setting in. The blood from your newly blistered fingers smeared on your phone as you sent a group text to the guys.

 _'Sorry I bailed. I dropped by my house for a minute to pick up Benedict's leash and just barfed everywhere, so I just went to sleep. Gross, I know. Anyway, I owe Noct and Prompt a rematch.'_

Every time you lied to Noctis you felt like it took a year off your life. It was the worst feeling ever, but you would do anything to protect him from your dealings.

You felt your phone vibrate, and you looked at it once again. Noctis was quick to respond, and it only made you feel worse. ' _It's cool squirt. Now what did we learn about eating Prompto's food?'_

The blond immediately replied with a picture of his sad face. _'SORRY!'_

Your eyes teared up again as you read the texts. These were your boys, and oh mercy you loved them. _'It's not your fault Prompto! I had some obviously bad fruit in the morning and it just caught up with me. I'll be okay.'_

Just as you lowered your hand you felt your phone vibrate again. It was Ignis this time. His text was separate from the group. _'Did you need soup or tea to help alleviate your pain? It's no trouble.'_

Oh right, you forgot how you told him that you hated your own house. He was probably riddled with guilt thinking you were in a place you loathed all by yourself and sick. You had half a mind to text him, no on the soup, but yes to a bath bomb.

 _'I'll be fine. Thanks Iggy!'_

It was a simple response, and as much as you wanted to truly thank him for his kindness, you knew if you said what you really wanted, he'd know you were in fact not okay.

Speaking of not okay, why was Gladio not texting you? Maybe the others told him you were fine, but you figured some kind of text would be nice. Whatever, didn't matter anyway. Your priority was you, and getting better. Still, it made you feel some type of way.

.

 **Home : 1:19am : 175 days**

There you were, just a few houses away from sweet salvation... sort of. You needed some serious rest, and although your house made you feel like crap on the inside, right now it was about healing your outsides. You had a small plastic bag in your hand. You made a pit stop at the convenience store, and despite the stares from your disheveled appearance you needed to pick up some medicine to ease your pain.

You put a hand on your neighbor's front fence just a few houses down from your own. Your muscles were tightening, and the pain was becoming unbearable. You were so close, yet so far. You were too tired to continue walking. It was all you ever did.

Your grip slowly loosened on the aluminum fence, and you gradually slipped down until you were in a squatting position with your head slumped over. Your dried bloody hand was still held its place to keep yourself balanced. If you just dosed off here for a minute, you'd be good to walk the rest of the way.

The bite of the snow was only worsening your condition, and locking your limbs in place. The gentle snowflakes began to lightly blanket your backside, and you were too drained to think about its frigidness.

Just as your eyes briefly shut you saw bright lights flash on you. You slackly turned your head to see what it was. Goodness you must've looked like hell in the brilliance of that light. Your head turned back, and you pulled yourself back up to your feet. No rest for the weary. You'd just have to keep pushing until you made it home.

As you took the first step you felt yourself get significantly lighter; weightless actually. The arms of one had scooped you up bridal style and held you close. Your sleepy eyes widened upon seeing Gladio... again.

"You stalking me?" You jokingly muttered.

"I was dropping by to give you some soup. Good thing too. What the hell are you doing out here?" He sounded almost angry with you for not taking care of yourself.

You held up the little black bag, "Meds."

It was a good thing you bought them, or else it'd look very suspicious with you being out here. If you were at home sick, there shouldn't have been any reason for you to leave.

"How do you know where I live?" Your brows furrow almost like you're getting ready to grill the man.

"I took you home last week, remember?"

Right, you did. But he took you to the end of your block. There was no way he saw you enter your house. You specifically waited until he left. Maybe he was much more cunning than you thought. If Noctis and Prompto weren't going to question your residence, he certainly was. If he planned on investing time into you, you better believe he was going to leave no stone unturned.

"You sneaky bastard!" You shook your head.

It kind of worried you that he knew where you lived. That meant he could pop up at any time. Maybe it was time for you to invite people in? Well, you had to do some remodeling first.

"Come on." He opened the door of his car and placed you in the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" You were too tired to care, but you figured someone responsible might ask.

"Home. My home. You are too sick to be by yourself." He took a seat and rose his eyebrows as to dare you to protest.

Some things you could slither out of with Gladio, but this was not one of them. You hid your sore hands in your pockets. That was a dead giveaway that your 'illness' was more than just a stomach flu.

"Sure, sure. I've been dying to see what the Amicitia manor looks like anyway." You always had to suggest something as if it were your idea. You couldn't let him have all the power just like that.

Your head leaned back in the seat, and you just enjoyed the heat inside the car. It was nice. Nice enough to put you to sleep, that is. You twisted the cap off you medicine and took two capsules. That should do it for the long term pain. For right now, sleep was your only deliverance, so that you did.

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 1:42am : 175 days**

Your eyes crack open as you pull up to Gladio's house. You should have suspected it with his occupation and all, but damn he was living in high style. It was such a beautiful residence. He'd pull into the garage and you were honestly wondering how impressive it must have been on the inside.

Upon parking the car he'd look over at you, "I'm gonna run you a bath in the guest room. You can sleep in there, okay?"

Speaking of being impressed, you were kind of allured by his way of hospitality. He didn't suggest you sleep in his room, and he was going to draw you a bath? Oh he was working up to something wasn't he?

"That sounds good, thank you." You lifted from the seat and opened the car door. You were more well to walk now that your bones defrosted. Didn't mean there weren't bruises and pulled muscles that would prevent you from walking with a slight limp.

"Stop being a brat." He looked down at you.

"About what?" You followed him to the entrance of his house, and honestly it seemed as if things got more grand along the way.

"About asking for help. Damn near killed yourself over some medicine when you could have just asked any of us to get some for you."

He opened the door to his house, and honestly you felt kind of under dressed. His house was so nice, and you wished that your first time seeing it wasn't under these circumstances. There was an immaculate fireplace with beautiful pink potted flowers beside it, and family photos on the mantle. Nice lush couches, and festive decorations up. Unlike Noctis' place, this one was ready for Christmas in a few days. He didn't let you bask in the glory of his residence for too long. It was late, and you needed to clean up and go to bed. Both of you.

He walked you upstairs and straight away into the guest room. You couldn't wait to flop onto that nice fluffy bed after a long soothing bath. You stood there in awe of the magnificent room. It was so detailed. Nice wood flooring, fresh flowers by the bedside. Hand carved wooden bed frame. Soft rug beneath your feet. There was no way he decorated this place.

You peeked into the bathroom as he ran your bath and set out some essentials for you. It was like clockwork. He sure knew how to make a gal feel welcomed, that's for sure.

"Alright, it's ready." He gestured to the brown cast iron bathtub. "Get some rest."

He was too kind. It almost felt fatherly in a sense.

"Thanks daddy." You apathetically babbled.

Your voice didn't change at all, and dammit you had a habit of saying things that sounded way more erotic out loud than it did in your head.

"Sorry, I meant that because you're being kind of parental right now. Not like 'ooh daddy I've been naughty.' You know mom's do this stuff too. I could have just called you mommy and it would have been all the same. Even uncle would have sufficed, really." Mhmm, if your face wasn't red before it definitely was now.

This was way too embarrassing. Why him of all people too? You've done this twice already, and you feared your quick tongue would only get worse.

He gave you a gentle kiss on the forehead, "No problem baby doll." Those words just rolled out like second nature.

Damn him; the butterflies were back. You were already down the rabbit hole, and it looked like he was jumping with you.

Okay, great, thanks, bye; you wanted to scream out. You'd hold it in this time as you didn't want to accidentally say anything else stupid. Instead you grinned widely as you closed him out the room.

You looked back at the tub and you couldn't wait to feel that heat on your skin already. Stripping your clothes, you put them inside the black hamper to the side. Part of you didn't even want to get in the bath, you wanted to get inside that gorgeous shower. Well, you figured screw it, if someone spent the time to build that shower then you should do them a favor by using it. Right?

You opened the wide glass door to the shower and turned on the water. You stepped out of the way to let the rain shower head adjust to the set temperature. It felt so nice to rinse a hard days work off yourself. More like a hard few hours work, but still all the same. The dried blood washed down to the chocolate brown tiles and into the drain. As nice as this felt, it didn't mean you weren't gonna get a piece of that bath as well. Turning off the water, you tip toed to the bath trying to make as little wet spots as possible.

You didn't wait to adjust to this temperature, you just sunk into the hot water and let the aches of your muscles simmer away. The bubbles reached up to your chin, and it was now that you remembered the joy of such a bath. There was something about this bath, the dimmed lights, and the darkness of the bathroom that made it all the more soothing.

You could spend the rest of the night in this tub. Actually, that wasn't a bad idea at all. Your body needed serious rehabilitation.

You shut your eyes and you let the essential oils do their damnest. A low sob entranced your emotional state as you thought of your life and what was to become of it. Crying yourself to sleep was not the best way to start a nap, but it happened. You didn't wipe away your tears, but just hope that the sleep would take you soon and you didn't have to think anymore.

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 6:21am : 175 days**

Time passed as you slept, and not normal nap time, more like hours. When your eyes opened again you were just a mere raisin in an ice cold tub. At least the cuts on your hands were completely closed. Closed, but not healed. The bathroom was dark from the sensor lights turning off, and you could see the still rising orange sun rays pierce through a slit in the curtain from the cracked open toilet room.

It was time to get out of the bath for a long time now, and that's what you were going to do before you froze from the frostiness of the tub. You didn't go for the towel, but instead head to the shower again for some warmth, and to clean up a bit.

The hot water felt so good on your skin, but as you looked at your hands, you saw that they were even more shriveled than normal. You were in that bath for a long time though. Your shower was quick, and now you'd put on your white towel to dry off. You wrapped it around once and pull your hair into a ponytail.

You walked over to the large wall mirror and looked at yourself. Not too shabby. That's not what you were looking for though. You picked up the unopened toothbrush Gladio left out for you and began to brush your teeth. You couldn't pay for generosity like that.

Once you were done you made your way back into the bedroom. All that lusting over such a nice bed, and you didn't even get to sleep in it. What a shame.

You looked around to see if he set out something to wear, and there was nothing. Great! You lay back on the cushy bed with your arms and legs sprawled out. You couldn't just walk around his house in a towel. You didn't mind moseying around in Noct's drawers for clothes because you knew he wouldn't care. But it was your first time here. You should be respectful.

Your eyes rolled from left to right as you thought about it. "Whatever, he can sue me."

You sprung up from the bed and walked over to the armoire opposite you. You opened it and there was nothing but a bunch of Gladio's clothes in there. Pffft, some guest room. You picked up one of his navy blue shirts and threw it over your head. You could get away with wearing it as a dress if you so pleased. You didn't though. Going commando in a flowing shirt was not the greatest feeling in the world. You pulled out a pair of his black jogging pants and pulled the draw string to fit your waist.

Okay, now you were just being nosy, but you wanted to see what was in the bottom drawer. Slowly you pulled it out and it was a bunch of hats. He didn't seem like a hat guy, but to each is own. You pulled out a black snap back and put it on. There was something fun about playing dress up in Gladio's clothes, even if none of it fit properly. You went to sit on the bed again and check your phone. If anything, it was to see any unread emails. Not that you were expecting any.

The door cracked open and your eyes shot up from your phone. In walked Clarus Amicitia, father of Gladiolus. How would you explain being in this man's house, sleeping in his guest room, and wearing his son's clothes? He wasn't your boyfriend, so what the hell? Damn this was going to be awkward! Dead... yes, dead is what you would rather be. Well the good news was that you woke up from the tub before this happened.

The man was dressed in his Lucian uniform, ready to leave the house. He didn't sleep at home last night, but was merely dropping in this morning. This was not something he was expecting, and neither were you.

"Hello." You gave your best award winning smile to the man.

"Gladiolus' girlfriend I presume?" There was no specific context behind his voice.

You wish he said it with some kind of happiness or even disdain. That way you could at least know where to go with this. This could sway one way or another. If you said yes, then he would probably press you for questions. If you said no then who the hell were you?

"I am not, actually." Lying for a first impression was probably not the right choice, so you decided against it. "Just a friend who likes to feel really tiny in your son's clothes. Forgive me, but I'll take the ego boost wherever I can get it."

Whatever. The damage of you being in his house was already done. May as well unleash your personality too.

Clarus cleft the most minuscule of laughs, and that alone lifted a huge weight off your shoulders. Like for instance, him not killing you, or kicking you out of his home.

"You like tea?" He suggested.

"Love." Your eyes lit up as you replied.

Without saying a word, he beckoned you to join him downstairs. He was being too kind to a stranger. Maybe this was where the real interrogation would begin. Dammit! Were you falling into some Q and A trap?

The two of you walked until you reached the living room again. On the coffee table was a glass tea kettle and two cups. Maybe the other cup was intended for someone else originally, but now it was yours. You took a seat and he poured you a cup.

Graciously you nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Of course." He sat on the couch left of yours.

His eyes noticed your war beaten hands. A fighter of his caliber picked up on it immediately. He knew what that meant.

"So you're an archer?" He took a sip of his mint green tea while maintaining eye contact.

He was good. That was scary. Almost too perfect of a guess. Actually, it wasn't a guess at all. He knew from time and experience around weapons.

"I am. Fun as it may be, it leaves my hands looking like dry them with sandpaper."

"Blisters, bruises, and scars are a minor price to pay."

You nodded your head fiercely, "Oh I agree. It's all worth it."

"So, when did you meet my son?"

Oh boy, here came the questions.

"We met a few weeks ago at the park. He helped me find my dog. Now after meeting you I can see that 'knight in shining armor' runs in the family."

Anyone else in Insomnia would freeze up during a conversation with the kings sworn shield, but not you. You looked at him as Gladio's dad, and that's why you didn't hold back on your wise cracks. Hell, if he didn't like you for who you were, then maybe this wasn't the right family to hang around.

"I see." He'd again take another sip. "You know his occupation, correct?"

"Mhmm." You nodded in the middle of taking a drink. "Gone all the time. Only has about two seconds in the day to play King's Knight with me. It's fine."

Why was he asking you these questions? You told him you WEREN'T Gladio's girlfriend. Maybe this was for future reference.

"So what are your intentions?" His cup lowered and his eyes stayed dead on you.

Now you felt really uncomfortable. You knew that offer for tea was a little too polite. Best to keep doing what you were doing; answering honestly.

"Sir, I know it hasn't been that long, but I care about your son. We're only friends; that I didn't lie about. If it remains that way, that's more than enough for me. He's a tremendously delightful person, and I've got his back."

You spoke as if you'd known him for years. Sometimes there were people like that in this life. People you've only met for a single day, but your wave length was so kindred that you knew you could be yourself without judgment. That was Gladio... the second time you met. Still you tried to resist until you just gave in to it.

Clarus' eyes looked at a small clock sitting on the end table beside him. He stood up from the couch and set his tea cup down on the coffee table. "I beg your pardon, but I must get going."

Why? Why did he have to leave after you just wore your heart on your sleeve? You wanted to fade away into the couch. He didn't even acknowledge what you just said. You wondered if he thought you were being dishonest. Or worse, he knew you were being honest and just didn't care. Perfect, everything was falling right into place.

You were neck deep into the royal circle anyway. It didn't need to go any further than this. Stopping it with Clarus would cause less heartache. Your eyes followed the man as he walked to the door.

He turned the knob and looked back at you, "I am pleased to meet your acquaintance. I appreciate your honesty. Will you be coming by for the holiday?"

"If I'm invited, of course. I'd love to stop by." Was that his way of extending an invitation? You were going to take it that way even if it wasn't.

You planned on hanging out with Prompto this Christmas, just like last. You two never had any plans on the holiday, so you just decided to hang together. Far be it from you to just ditch the boy, so he was going to come too. After making your rounds at Noctis' apartment you'd stop by the Amicitia manor to say hello.

He gave you a light grin, "Watch my son."

"With all my eye strength sir!" You regained your perkiness upon hearing his parting words.

The man left the house and you sighed in relief. No more questioning! Still, it was really early in the morning and you had no idea what time Gladio would wake up. Would it be rude to leave? Would it be rude to stay? Who even knew?

You set your tea cup down before you sat back on the couch thinking about what to do. Your hand reaches up to smooth your hair back and... did you have this hat on the whole time you were speaking to Clarus?! Yes, you did, and now you felt incredibly disrespectful. No turning back time now. Your head turned as you heard a door close. No telling where that came from.

"Those are my clothes."

You turned back to see Gladio approaching you. "Yeah, I feel better this morning. Thanks for asking. And since you're so curious, there wasn't anything else to wear so I just grabbed these."

He smiled as he saw the entire getup. If the clothes weren't cute enough on you, the hat damn near sent him over the edge. The big man took a seat next to you and noted the used cups of tea on the coffee table.

"You and Jared have a drink or something?"

"Me and who?" You lifted the bill of the hat a bit to see him better.

"Wait, did you have tea?" He questioned with a look of slight concern.

"Yup, with daddy dearest. He's a cool guy. He invited me over for Christmas."

He wasn't really concerned that you met his father, but he would liked to have been there when you two first introduced yourselves.

"He told me all your embarrassing secrets." You leaned in closer with a tantalizing look in your eyes. "Told me about your porn stash."

Gladio was not buying it. He pulled you by your hips so that you were in his lap. His arms wrapped around yours so that you were stagnant in this position. Why did he love doing that to you? He knew you were powerless to stop it too.

He gave a long kiss to the crook of your neck. "Tell me the truth and I'll let you go. What did he say to you?"

"No!" You attempted to break free knowing full well you couldn't. "He said I shouldn't waste my time with you because you're just a flirt."

"Wrong answer." He shifted to the other side of your neck and sunk his teeth in.

There were no holds barred for him this time. It wasn't like yesterday when he just gave a light nibble. No, he went IN! Why were you two so bitey with one another? You were just bitey in general, but the fact that he could match you was kind of appealing... and terrifying.

"Okay! Okay! He just asked who I was, and he told me to watch over you because you're a bad boy who needs eyes on you at all times."

Your head leaned back to his right shoulder, "It's the truth. Don't believe me?"

He didn't say anything, but look at you. His eyes trailed from yours to your lips. He released his grip and closed in; pressing his lips against yours. Your left arm lifted until you had your hand gently placed on the back of his neck.

You opened your mouth just slightly giving him permission to enter yours. He'd take that invitation and feel out your tempo. You could taste the mint on his tongue, and it was kind of refreshing. Not too far in and he could already tell you were going to fight him for control.

He wasn't gonna take your shit if that's what you thought. His hand placed now on the back of your head to force you in even closer. If this was a battle for power, you weren't going to shy away. You kept your lips against his as you turned your body to face him; straddling the man now.

Your bruised hands grabbed each side of his face and you talked on his lips. "Sorry if you're used to girls just handing you all the power." You gave another peck to his lips, "I'm not that girl."

Gladio grabbed the back of your arms and pulled you closer to him. Your tongues collided once more to see who in fact was in control. His hands moved from your arms to your thighs. Just one little squeeze wouldn't hurt, right?

"Gladio!" You broke the kiss as you backed away. "Don't you fucking dare!"

His arm pulled you back onto the couch next to him, and he'd clench your thigh again. This was cheating! Your legs kicked around as he clasped your thigh. You were beginning to tear up from laughter. It was too much, and you were going to be even more sore today from flailing around if he kept this up.

"I h-have to g-go home and f-feed Benedict!" You somehow formed a sentence through your cackling.

You didn't really need to feed Benedict, but more so pick her up from the dog sitter she'd been at all night.

He'd stop after one last squeeze. You pursed your lips and shook your head at the man. Damn him! You were way too ticklish of a person to be with someone so handsy.

"Hate you!" You gave a light punch to his arm.

"Right." Gladio rolled his eyes ever so charmingly.

He began to walk you over to the door, "Did my dad really invite you over for Christmas?"

"Yes!" You spoke slightly offended that he didn't believe you. "Didn't you know? He loves me more than you now."

You saw him reach for the keys on top of the fireplace. "Stop it. I can walk home, seriously. I need to rehabilitate my body. If I'm really feeling sick I'll call, okay?"

Against his better judgment, he set the keys back down. "I don't know why I'm letting you do this."

"Oh, you think your LETTING me?" You grinned widely.

You didn't say anything else, because next thing you knew he'd be driving you home. He allowed you to believe you were a dominant being, but if and when it really came down to a test, you'd be singing a whole other tune.

"See you on Christmas." You stepped out of the doorway.

The man pulled you back momentarily to give you a parting kiss.

Your nose scrunched up as you backed away, "Ew, you're making me like you. It's disgusting."

"You didn't like me before?" He crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway.

"Nope." You shook your head.

There was still one last Amicitia you had to meet; Iris. Gladio often told you about her, but now was not the time to meet. She was sleeping, and disturbing her for a first encounter was probably a bad idea. You wondered how it would play out. The two of them were very close. Would she be kind to you, or would the two of you clash? Now wasn't the time to ponder these questions. You needed to head home, mend your body, and prepare for the days to come.


	8. Quality Time

**Downtown Highway : 2:55pm : 173 days**

"What are you getting me for the Secret Santa squirt?"

You sat in the middle back seat of Ignis' car. Your head rested in your hands, and your elbows were grounded on the middle armrest.

The sandy blond man was driving, and Noctis sat in the passenger seat. You three were on your way to knock out some Christmas shopping. You were doing a Secret Santa between the 5 of you. Who else would have an idea like that besides you and Prompto? Secret Santa's never worked between the 3 of you because it would be easy to tell who got what item. Now that the group extended by 2, it just barely made this gift giving possible.

Really it was supposed to be just you and Noct doing some shopping, but the prince didn't feel like driving so Ignis was caught up in the mix.

"Shut up! I'm not telling you who I got." You waved Noctis away with a sassy hand.

Who you got was Prompto. He was the simplest person to shop for. You were relieved to get him. You could get him a cheap chocobo plushie and he'd be thankful. Of course you wouldn't do that, but it was nice to know you had options with this.

Edging up on the seat a little, you gently tugged on the prince's sleeve and looked at him with your jaunty eyes. "But you know, you can always tell me who you got. Ahem, me?"

"Buzz off." He'd shoot you a saucy sneer.

Your bottom lip slightly poked out as you pouted from his answer. You sat back in your seat and slumped.

"Fine, don't tell me, but can you at least tell me what I should get the Amicitia's?" Your sad puppy face was back and better than ever.

"What, like a household gift? Get them a candle or something." Noctis shrugged lackadaisically as he picked under his fingernails.

"Thanks for the help Noct-ass, truly. I can tell you put a lot of thought into that one." You held air in your cheeks and swished them around as you thought.

Maybe a candle was a good idea. You'd think of something. You scooted over to the seat behind Ignis and looked out the window. You'd expect heavy snow on a day like Christmas Eve, but there was none. None falling anyway. The freeway was packed with cars, and there was traffic as far as the eye could see. If you were lucky, you'd be able to get in and out with this shopping.

Where you three were headed now was some ritzy mall on the upper east side of town, and with traffic like this, you'd be lucky to make it by nightfall. There was bumper to bumper traffic on this freeway, and not an inch to be spared. Seeing as Ignis had the car in park, that meant bad news for you three.

If only you had more time you'd just order everything online. Your black leather gloved hand came up to the fog covered window and began to trace a pattern into it. You pat the condensation between your fingers as you broke contact with the window, and then returned to your doings.

You started to take off your puffy pink jacket as you knew you'd be in here for a while. You set it to your right and continued on with your window art.

"Is it too hot back there?" Ignis quickly glanced at you through his rear view mirror.

"No, no. It's perfect. I just wanna get comfy 'cause it looks like we'll be here a while."

Your hands placed on the back of Ignis' seat, and your head swung around to peek at him. "Do you think we'll ever move again?"

Goodness you were so dramatic and cute with your silly questions. You were serious though. You didn't want to stay riveted to this spot for eternity.

"Let's find out." The man removed his gray glove from his slender fingers and turned on the radio.

The three of you listened closely as they updated about traffic on this freeway. You removed your hands from his seat and used them to help you scoot back in the middle. You leaned in between the two and slightly turned your ear to the radio.

 _'Traffic report on the Downtown Highway. There seems to be a substantial 6 car pile up. So far there is a reported 5 injured and 0 fatalities, but the numbers continue to rise. Authorities are not sure when the accident will get cleaned up; they say anywhere from 1 to several hours. If you are near the area, taking the streets are advised.'_

"You have got to be kidding me!" You yelled at the radio. "No way! There's no way this is happening right now!"

Noctis pulled the leaver on his seat and leaned all the way back. "I'm going to sleep."

"Oh no you're not!" You used your arms and legs to lift the chair back up. "You're in this shit with the rest of us!"

"How does me being awake help this situation at all?" The raven haired boy glowered with his arms crossed.

"Because misery loves company! That's how." You reached for the handle on your door and began to step into the frosty outdoors.

Your black laced up knee high boot planted firmly onto the asphalt as you stood to get a good look. Everyone was out of their cars chatting and mulling over what just happened. It was amazing how people suddenly became chummy with one another at a moment's notice.

Everyone had their little mittens full with hot chocolate. Where were they getting it? Didn't matter, you had time to figure it out.

"I'll be back. I'm going to get some hot chocolate." You stepped completely out of the car and closed the door behind you. Without waiting for Noct or Ignis, you started making your way up and followed the scent of warm chocolatey goodness.

Noctis took notice of Ignis' eyes following you as you left; like the blond man was apprehensive or something.

"I saw that." The prince lowered his seat again so he could go to sleep while you were gone.

Ignis kept his eyes in the direction you walked off to. "She'd just forgotten her coat is all."

Then sandy blond put on his glove again and reached back for your pink jacket.

"That's not what I meant." The prince rolled over to the side as he curled into a warm ball. His eyes shut as he nestled into place. "Starting to think your concern goes beyond just friendship."

Ignis remained quiet as he opened the car door. Noct's eyes flashed open and looked over his shoulder at the man. His mouth hung slightly ajar as his eyes amplified.

"It does, doesn't it?" The prince's eyes glazed over just a tad as he made the connection.

Ignis pushed up his glasses a bit, "Try again your highness. Would you like some hot chocolate when I return?"

The prince smirked as he turned back, "Nah. Just wake me when this is over."

Marching along through the middle of the highway was you. Honestly you thought about just going home. You didn't mind walking, but still, you wanted to hang out with Noct. Also you had Christmas presents to buy.

As you walked along further, you saw a small table set up on the shoulder with a person giving away hot chocolate. Did they know this was going to happen or something? Because that was a little too convenient. Everyone walked over to grab a cup and thank the person who made it. This was not the way you wanted to spend your Christmas Eve, but life was one big curve ball.

You definitely wanted to text Prompto a picture of this. He'd never believe you 3 got caught up in this huge accident. You reached for the phone in your jacket pocket only to realize you'd left your coat in the car. You were going to go back eventually, but for now the text could wait. Walking over to the side of the highway, you placed your Styrofoam cup down and leaned on your elbows as you looked down. It was a long way down; kind of entrancing.

The bite of Winter began to leisurely take you as its captive. Why didn't you bring your jacket? Sometimes you had a really big problem with leaping before you looked. You took a big gulp of the scorching beverage to warm up, and it did just that. All the while it burned your tongue and sent you into a fit of hysteria.

Your hands waved at your watering eyes as you hoped no one saw your idiotic blunder.

"Are you alright?"

Of course someone saw. It was you, and your luck.

You turned around to see Ignis carrying your jacket. "You left this."

Your bouncing around halted as he opened the coat for you to put on. You slipped your arms into each side and adjusted your body heat to the cold sleeves.

"Thanks Iggy." You turned around and smiled. "You didn't have to come out here just to give me this."

"It's nothing, really." The man brushed it off. "Wouldn't want you to get sick. I'd have to make a house call then, and we both know you wouldn't want that."

Your shoulders came up to a very dramatic shrug, "I'm starting to open up to the idea of people POSSIBLY coming over. Just have to clean first."

"Oh?" His eyebrows raised surprised by your words, "What changed?"

"Gladio knows where I live." You replied honestly as your red fingernail tapped the side of your cup. "So, it's kind of forcing my hand."

You walked back into position and placed your elbows once again on the side ramp of the freeway. "Want some hot chocolate?" You held up your cup.

"No, thank you." He walked back to your side and had a hesitant look on his face.

"Would you… never mind."

"Speak your mind Scientia." Your head tilted back until you made eye contact.

"Would you rather forget who you were, or forget who everyone else is?"

You jaw was completely dropped at the question. You were overjoyed. He actually asked you a hypothetical question.

"Ignis!" You instinctively gave the man a hug. He was such a stiff, but that didn't stop you. "I can't believe you just asked me that!"

You were a lover of the hypotheticals. Nearly every day you cooked with him you asked him one. For weeks you'd been hoping he'd come up with one without you pressuring him, and finally he came through. You were so gratified.

You backed away and looked up at the man, "I'd rather forget who I am. Hell, I'm still young. I probably won't even know who I am until 15 years from now anyway. Forgetting everyone else is not an option. Too many good memories have been made."

"Well said. I agree."

"Can't believe you asked me that." Your grin came back with a vengeance, and you chuckled as you thought about it. "Think of more, okay?"

He nodded without a word and you hoped he'd stick to it. It was so pleasing to see the unwound side of the man. Or, slightly unwound side rather. You weren't fully there yet, but you'd keep chipping away.

Your giggling stopped as your heard car doors closing. People were beginning to enter their vehicles again, and it looked like the traffic would start flowing soon.

"Let's head back." The blond directed.

"Sounds good. Off to the mall with us!"

.

 **East Side Mall : 4:26pm : 173 days**

Finally, you were here. You eagerly hopped out of the car and looked at the large scenic mall with a twinkle of delightful in your eyes. However, being a last minute shopper meant that you'd have to deal with big crowds. That was something you were never too fond of.

"Onward boys!" You pranced through the parking lot until you reached the sliding glass door that would lead you inside.

The two followed shortly behind and checked out all of the shops. It was such a nice upscale mall. It was something that probably didn't impress people like Noct or Ignis, but to a commoner like you, it was everything. Also, it was a perfect variety for a confused shopper like you.

The three of you made your way through the bottom department store. It was typical, really. Bright lights, counters filled with makeup and skin care, sales people trying to hook you in. Breathing in the mixture fragrances was a little nauseating, but you wouldn't have to endure it for too long.

Just as you were almost out of the woods, your eyes focused in on a diamond encrusted rose gold upper arm bangle. It was gorgeous, but that price was too steep for to shell out money. It wasn't the first time you'd seen it. Hell, you dreamt about this thing. You probably talked about it in your sleep.

You didn't want to bring it up to Noctis just in case he was your Secret Santa. You'd be riddled with guilt if he paid that absurd amount of money for your present. You could live without it.

You snapped out of your slight trance upon exiting the store. A sign for a candy store crossed your sight, and you couldn't help but smile broadly.

You turned to Noctis and pointed at the sign, "Remember 3 years ago when we went to that candy store here?"

The boy laughed immediately upon the memory being brought up. You struck a funny bone with this one. His walking slowed to a complete halt as his hand lightly pressed against his stomach.

He rubbed a palm over both of his eyes as he caught his breath, "I know exactly what you're talking about. I'll never forget that face you made."

You couldn't hide your sinister grin as you laughed with him. "We were bad kids. Can't do that anymore. I'll go to jail since I recently turned 18. You're in the clear though you little whippersnapper." You gave a delicate pinch to the boy's cheek.

Noctis took a deep breath, but it was all for not. The memory was too hilarious. It was one, as you said, from 3 years ago. What you recalled was a time you both walked into the candy store bright eyed and bushy tailed. You both went straight for the large bags and filled them all the way up to the top. By the time you were done, you both had about 9 bags between the two of you. When asked if you were ready to pay, you gave a wide eyed look as if you were in some serious trouble. You turned to Noct with that exact look, and it was one he'd never forget.

Without a second thought, you booked it out of the store. Jellybeans, sour belts, and gummy bears flew everywhere as you both sprinted away. You both ran until you reached the exit of the mall and then some. By the end of it, you two were so spooked that you didn't even notice all the candy you dropped. All that remained was a single bag with 3 gummy sharks inside. Those of which can be found in a small glass display in Noct's bedroom.

"Alright, I texted Prompto to meet us here in an hour. That means I should probably get this present now before he tries to sneak up and see who I'm shopping for." You stuffed your phone back in your pocket.

You began to walk away while facing Ignis and Noctis, "So we'll split up from here and meet back in an hour. Remember the budget we agreed on. Just because you're the prince doesn't mean you have to go on a spending spree, okay? It's a Secret Santa, not an offering to the Gods."

With that you'd turn away and head for the electronics store. You knew there was a set budget, but you kind of wanted to bring the best gift. Even if no one knew it was your gift, just hearing them say how awesome it was would be all worth it. Yes, you were a hypocrite.

You walked in with so much moxie knowing you would be bringing the best present. Maybe a computer monitor? Maybe a cool gadget that no one has even heard of yet? Maybe that was Prompto in the same store as you and you should probably leave before he finds out what you were buying! What was he doing here? You told him you'd meet in an hour!

You could see him looking around the video game section. You lurked from two isles down and ducked to the eye level behind the shelf of retro music. You wanted to know what he was going to buy. It wasn't right, but hell, you were curious to see what he was getting.

Your hands pressed against the vintage cases as you leaned forward. The boy turned around and you lowered down in a flash. Your heart raced a little. You weren't doing anything too sneaky, but still. It was probably time to leave now.

Still crouched down, you slowly began to creep out. Electronics was a no. Maybe jewelry would work? At worst you could look at that bangle again.

You exited the store and resumed your search in the mall. It was so crowded in here! Shoulder to shoulder traffic. It seemed as though for every minute that passed an extra 20 people entered. Damn this place was stuffy.

Shuffling your way through the crowd, you headed back inside the department store. There it was again. Rose gold upper arm bangle studded with six 24 carat diamonds.

It was so beautiful. You could do it. You could buy it and just live off Cup Noodles for the next month. Your nails lightly dug into the strap of your brown leather bag as you attempted to refrain from buying it.

"Dammit." You exhale sharply, "I gotta get outta here."

Okay, jewelry was not an option. You were supposed to be shopping for Prompto, and all you could think about was yourself.

"See something you like?"

You jumped back as a voice from behind startled you.

"Noctis!" You yelled at the boy, "What the hell are you doing in here?!"

The prince lifted his ambiguously gold wrapped box, "I'm done shopping."

You could tell he got something expensive just looking at that gift wrap. Floral gold pattern atop a matte gold base, and a hand wrapped gold bow.

"D-done shopping?! Its only been 15 minutes! You're such a guy!" You pointed outside of the store. "Go sit in the food court until I'm done shopping!"

"Okay mom. Have fun in the jewelry department." He sardonically headed to the exit.

You scowled as he walked out, lowly mocking his tone under your breath. "Wasn't gonna get jewelry anyway."

Just as you were heading back into the swarm of people you felt arms wrap around your shoulders. "Is that a mirror in your pants? Because I can see me in them."

Your eyes directed downward to see the freckled arms of Prompto. You placed your hands on his forearms, "No matter how many cute ways you put it, I'm not showing you the tattoo."

His arms slowly released and a sad whimper bellowed from the pit of his stomach, "Aw, but-."

"Nope. Better luck next time." You turned to face him and gave a soft pat to his freckled red cheek.

He released his grip and you saw that he was holding a gift box that was about the same size as Noct's. It was wrapped in plain green wrapping.

"You're done too?! What the hell Prompto?! Off to the food court with you! Go find Noctis!" Your red painted finger pointed sternly out the department store.

"Fine. Text me when you're done, and hurry. I'm hungry." Prompto's fingerless gloved hand rubbed his stomach.

"You can't rush perfection my tiny friend. I'm shopping for my Secret Santa, so shoo. If you don't wanna eat at the food court then ask Noct for food. You know he always carries a bag of Skittles in his pocket. Now go."

The boy lightly bounced his present in his hands as he made his exit. It was like he was so proud of whatever lay in that box.

Okay, back to shopping! You couldn't get what you needed from here now. Too many people had seen you in here. They'd know who this Secret Santa was immediately upon opening it.

Back into the swarm for you. Squeezing your way back into the crowd, you looked left and right for the perfect store. Your arms came together as if you were getting ready to dive into a pool.

You spotted the perfect place. It wasn't just any place; shoes. There was a pair of matte black limited edition high top gold accented sneakers in a glass showcase. You didn't know what the hell Prompto would ever wear these with, but a shoe buff like him would definitely appreciate these.

"Okay,'scuse me. Coming through." You fit your way through the sea of shoppers.

Your eyes twinkled as they were so perfect, even down to the size. This was a gift to be marveled upon. Yes you'd be paying a pretty penny, but it'd be all worth it.

You put a hand atop the glass case and tapped on it as to grab someone's attention. "Excuse me! I'd like these please!"

Swiftly an employee came to your aid and greeted you with a warm smile. "Well hello there. Of course. Let me ring you up."

You follow the man and begin to take your black card from your small maroon hand wallet. The smile on your face was undying. You were so incredibly happy to buy this gift. Man you were in the Christmas spirit.

Just as you were getting ready to hand over your card, you noticed the price on the shoes had more zeros than you were prepared for. You were so eager, and now you found your sweaty palms face down on the counter before you.

"Um, is this correct. I know they're limited edition, but..."

"No." The employee shook his head, "Not limited edition. One of a kind. The number is correct, I assure you." The man held his hand out for your card.

The more you thought about it, the more you realized that money was no object; especially with the end of your days nearing. Prompto was an amazing friend who deserved these shoes. There were times you called him at unreasonable hours crying, and he was there to listen. Yeah, if anything, it was an honor to buy him these shoes, even if he didn't know they were from you.

"Perfect. I love them. Can you wrap them please? They're a gift." You handed over your card with no regrets.

It was good to have your Christmas shopping out of the way. Except for the Amicitia household, but you'd think of something. You watched as the employee took the display down and kept them in their glass case. It was placed in the middle of peacock patterned wrapping paper. Folding and taping the sides, your gift was done and handed over to you. The damn thing was heavy as hell, and you weren't too excited about carting it around.

Off to the food court you went. You didn't know where they'd be, but it probably wouldn't be too hard to find them. Wherever they went shenanigans weren't too far behind. You felt like you were carrying a grenade. These shoes were so expensive. If anything were to happen to them you didn't know what you'd do. Probably cry.

You shifted the gift so that it was now under your left arm. It created more run ins with strangers, but ultimately worth the lack of strain. You thought walking around was bad, but the food court was even worse.

"Oh hell no. I'm not dealing with this shit." You mumbled as you pulled out your phone.

You started to call up Noctis, and with all the commotion going on, you didn't know if he would even hear you if he picked up. Just as the phone got one ring in, you noticed the two boys sitting at a four person table divvying up Skittles.

You walked over and tiredly positioned your gift atop the table. "Whew. I am beat."

"Ooh, what's that?" Prompto started to make a hand toward the present.

"No!" You smacked his hand away. "This is not for you... or maybe it is. You'll just have to find out tomorrow."

You pulled out the silver metal chair and took a seat. "Damn it's hot. You guys aren't hot?"

You unwrapped your long gray and white stripped scarf and set it in your lap. You fanned yourself trying to cool down from the consuming body heat all around.

"So we're just waiting on Iggy now? That's different. Red Skittle please." You extended your hand to Noctis.

The prince frowned as he stared at your neck; attempting to get a good look, "Is that a hickey?"

"What?!" You became immediately flustered, "No! What?!" Your hand came up as you frantically tried to remember where it was.

"It's not." Prompto leaned in to take a look himself, "It's a bite."

"No!" You took the scarf from your lap and began to put it back on. "That's not it either!"

You'd rather suffer from heat exhaustion than have them talk about the little lust mark on your neck. Dammit, you forgot it was even there. You were going to have to get Gladio back for this whole fiasco.

"You guys are freaks." Noctis teased you in a monotone voice.

"Quit it!" You brought the collar of your jacket up to hide your face.

"Who?" Prompto asked curiously.

"No one!" You replied quickly.

The blond boy's jaw dropped as he looked at you and Noctis back and forth. "Wait a minute! You guys are-"

"Not even close." You put a hand to your face and shook it disappointingly, "How many times do I have to tell you. Noctis and I will never be a thing."

Your eyes met those of the prince, and a benevolent smile subtly brightened your face. "Platonic love can be just as strong as romance sometimes."

You reached your arms out and grabbed each side of Noct's face as you leaned over the table. You pulled him closer and lay a solid kiss on his forehead.

"Which is why I can do that and not have you question my motives."

"You're messing up my hair." The prince shooed you away as he fixed his tangled masterpiece of a hairstyle.

"I apologize for taking so long." Ignis said as he joined you three.

His box was the same size as the rest of yours. It was wrapped in a nice white and silver stripped wrapping. You wondered what was in that box. What was in all their boxes. You couldn't wait for tomorrow.

"Sweet! Let's go get something to eat now, before I die of hunger pangs!" Prompto exhaled forcefully.

.

 **Apartment : 7:41pm : 173 days**

You were back at Noct's place once again. This time you were on the balcony overlooking the city below you. There was something peaceful about being this high; majestic. You were in deep thought as your arms rested on the edge of railing. You did quite a lot of that lately; thought deeply.

How would tomorrow pan out? What were you going to wear? Why were you getting so invested in these boys lives knowing your days were coming to an end? Half a year seemed like a long time, but it wasn't. Especially with all the fun you were having with these boys; the time was just flying by.

"Dinner's done." Prompto opened the glass door behind you.

"Oh, hey." You looked back at him, "Wait, what?"

"Dinner." He lifted his plate. "You okay?" He stepped out with you and closed the door behind him.

"Yeah. Just thinking about tomorrow. I don't know if I told you, but we're gonna come here first for the Secret Santa. Then we're going to Gladio's after."

The blond boy nodded, "You told me. You sure you're doing alright? You know you can talk to me if something's bothering you."

"I know Prompt, thank you." You gave him a reassuring smile. "Come on. Let's eat before it gets cold."

Out of the four he'd be the most understanding of your situation, but now wasn't the time to go spilling your guts. You had to keep on a happy face. Christmas was tomorrow! If that wasn't enough to get you out of your funk, than nothing would. You were excited to see what you would get, and how Prompto would react to his gift. If all went right, this would be the best Christmas you ever had.


	9. Secret Santa (part 1)

**Home : 10:45am : 172 days**

"And off we go."

You put your brass key into the keyhole and gave it a nice turn. Locking up for the long day ahead of you. You had your present and a gift bag in one hand, and Benedict's leash in the other along with the key. You put the metal piece back into your purse and you were off to meet up with Prompto.

You'd be getting an early morning coffee with him before the two of you headed to Noct's apartment. It'd kind of became a tradition.

The present you held was now rewrapped and reboxed. Plain polar bear wrapping paper over a 14" x 14" box. To uphold the secrecy of this gift exchange, all 5 of you made it so that each present looked the same. The names were located on the bottom of the bow, so no one would know until the present was being opened. So dramatic, but you and Prompto were adamant about this.

You looked so gorgeous on this bright Christmas day. Your hair was curled, and your eyes were smokey with brown and copper glitter. Your lips were tinted with a matte brown lipstick, and your cream colored halter neckline dress was form fitting down to your mid calves. The backside of the dress remained a mystery though behind your long black trench coat.

You wanted to look good when you revisited the Amicitia manor. Clarus saw you as a 4, so now it was time he saw you as a 10. You were dressed to kill, and it was always nice because it was something you rarely did. Benedict was not to be forgotten either. You weren't really one for doggy clothes, but it was Christmas, so in her little Santa coat she pranced.

Off to the coffee shop with you! Your nude pumps clicked on the pavement as you walked. Damn you felt so pretty, and you had a right to. You were always in lounge clothes and playing video games, but it was not to be forgotten how well you could clean up.

The coffee shop was not too far away from where you lived. Just a short 15 minute walk. Today was going to be so exciting. You were up all night thinking about it. What did you get as a present? How would Prompto react to yours?

Finally after your trek through the light snow, you made it. Normally dogs weren't allowed in, but it was Christmas. Not only that, it was freezing outside. This was one of the few places still opened, so for those who didn't celebrate the holiday it was like a little haven. Even this early in the morning it was packed.

You spotted a small table in the back and headed that way to grab a seat. You caught the eye of many patrons inside the establishment. Secretly you hoped that no one would come over and hit on you, seriously. You placed a hand under your chin and waited for the boy to hurry the hell up. You were like raw meat inside shark infested waters.

You noticed one of the men coming over to you, and it looked like your nightmare was getting ready to come true. He wasn't bad looking or anything, but you kinda didn't want to be hit on this early in the morning... or at all. Where the hell was this guy when you were looking for a date to the Winter Formal, huh?

"Well hello there." The man slicked back his short black hair as he took a seat at your table. "You didn't come here all by yourself, now did you?"

You pulled out your phone and hurriedly texted the boy. _'Dammit! We've got a code 5! When you get here, do the thing!'_

You gave a campy smile to the man as you looked up at him. "Oh, hello. Um, huh?"

His lips curled and he gave a wide grin as he leaned closer. "I said you didn't come here all alone now did you? Pretty girl like you?"

"I uh." You didn't know how to respond. Why today? Why Christmas?

"Don't be shy now. I don't bite." His voice lowered as he attempted to seduce you.

This was really awkward. It was times like this that you wished Benedict was an attack dog. Get em! Sick em girl! Do something!

"I-I'm flattered, really, but-"

"Baby! There you are! I've been calling you all morning!" Prompto obnoxiously yelled at you.

He bent over until he was at your cheek and gave you an abominably long kiss. "You complete me."

He backed away and extended his hand past the man; you took it like an offer you couldn't refuse. He pulled you out of your seat and you clung to your presents for dear life.

You both walked out of the establishment hand in hand. You internally rolled your eyes at his foolery. What a 3 ring circus.

As soon as you two stepped outside, your hand released from his and came up to wipe off the sloppy kiss he planted on you.

"You're such a clown Prompto."

"Your said code 5." He shrugged, "Now that deserves a little reward don't you think?"

"Kiss my ass." Quickly you shook your head, "Actually, nevermind, because that's probably what you're asking about again. Isn't it?"

The boy poked out his lip as he looked at you. "Just a little peek? Come on. You can take a picture of it and send it to me."

"I'm not sending you a picture of my ass Prompto." You cupped his puffed out freckled cheek with your hand, "And the sad puppy face doesn't work on the master. But Merry Christmas all the same."

You two continued forward. It looked like the coffee would have to be skipped today. To Noct's place is where you were headed now.

"Hey, you didn't tell me we were supposed to dress up." Prompto looked down at his Christmas sweater and dark jeans.

"You look fine. It's me who has to dress up."

You didn't want to go into too much detail as to why. Prompto still didn't know about you and Gladio yet. It wasn't a big deal or anything, but you'd rather save the teasing until after Christmas.

"Think we can fit in a game of Smash Bros before we leave?" The blond eagerly asked.

"It's Christmas. I don't want to sever any relationships today. Now come on. Noct's place isn't too far, and I want to see what you got me already."

He shifted his box so it was slightly away from you. "This may or may not be your present! I'll leave you in suspense on that note."

.

 **Apartment : 11:54am : 172 days**

You stood outside of Noct's apartment and you could smell delicious food from this side. It was clear that Ignis had been up to something for a while now. You opened the door and the scent hit you like a bus. Forget the presents! You wanted to chow down on whatever was being made.

"Here!" Prompto shouted as he took off his shoes and headed for the living room.

You took off your pumps and noticed that everyone else's shoes were here as well. As you expected. You didn't know why, but you were so excited. Was it to eat? To open presents? To see your present be marveled upon because it was totally going to be the best one?

You entered the living room and placed your present on the coffee table next to the rest. 5 gifts, and they all looked the exact same. No telling whose was which one; just the way you wanted it.

"Hey there. Merry Christmas." You smiled as you freed Benedict from her leash.

"Merry Christmas to you as well." Ignis looked over at you taking a contingent double take. "You look very lovely."

Your hand came up to give a faux wave away, "Oh stop."

"Where are the plates?!" Prompto eagerly looked at the food that'd just been cooked.

"This isn't for you." Ignis sternly looked at the boy.

What a tragedy too. It smelled so good, yet none of you could eat any of it. He'd be bringing it with him when he and Noct left later on to visit Regis.

You looked around and noticed Gladio and Noct were nowhere to be found. Noctis lived here, and Gladio's shoes were at the door, so what gives?

"Where are the other two?" You put a curious finger under your lip.

"Gladio stepped out on the balcony for a moment, and Noct is sleeping in his room."

"Oh hell no." You blurted out as you stormed off to Noctis' room. "He is not sleeping in today!"

You walked until you reached the young prince's room and busted right in. There he was; sound asleep. You didn't care if he'd get mad at you or not. You were going to do what needed to be done.

"Wake up mother fucker! It's Christmas!" You hopped up on his bed and started jumping around his sleeping self. "Come on Noct! I wanna open my present!"

You were like an impatient child waiting to see what Santa had brought them. If anything, you were helping him out. He had to go visit his father later, and it was the only reason you didn't originally plan to stay here all day.

"Get off my bed." The raven haired boy grumbled face down into the pillow.

"Make me!" You shouted even louder just to boil his blood.

He angrily sat up with his brows furrowed and his hair matted. The prince was irate. Shouldn't have been as far as you were concerned. It was almost noon. Ignis should never have let him sleep in this long.

"What are you yelling about in here?" Gladio came in.

You turned to look at him and his eyes intensified. Shit you were pretty. He was going to make a joke about you being super loud, but, nevermind. You took notice that he was dressed up a tad as well. Your judgment call seemed to be a good one.

"You look nice." You hopped down from the bed and walked over to the man. Your hands came up and pressed down the collar of his shirt. "So spiffy."

He leaned down and gave you a brisk peck. "You look better."

Why did that feel so natural? You couldn't keep letting that happen. Eventually Prompto would see and you'd have to endure endless safe sex jokes. Plus there would be a million questions that you just weren't ready to answer. Not while you two were still unofficial.

Noctis irritatingly pointed at his door as a way to silently tell you both to leave. He looked so grumpy with the bags under his eyes and the pout on his face.

"I'm giving you 5 minutes. If I have to come back here I'm kicking your ass." You brought two fingers up to your eyes and pointed them at Noct as to say, so help him if you had to come back here.

Walking back to the kitchen you were reminded of that heavenly food.

"Ignis." You slightly dragged out the 's' as you whined his name.

"What's the matter?" He rose his eyebrows at you as he took on a nurturing tone.

"I'm hungry, but this food isn't for me." Your sad precious face frowned as you looked at the appetizing meal.

"So famished. Lights fading." You quickly stood up on top of the couch and grabbed hold of Gladio's shoulders. "Doc says it's real, real bad see?"

You turned your head to face Ignis, and in the process slapping Gladio with a bit of your hair. "He says I've got a case of... the grumblies!"

You were so melodramatic at times. You placed the back of your hand to your forehead and fell back to 'faint' knowing that the big man would catch you. His hands remained on your lower back as he held you in place.

"You are so dramatic sometimes." Gladio laughed at your silly antics.

Coming back up, you stepped down from the couch and shrugged. "Hey, I have to plead my case don't I?"

"Well, I don't suppose having just a bite would hurt any." The tall blond bought into your whole shindig.

"Really!" You clasped your hands together as you merrily sashayed to the counter. "Yay!"

"If she gets food than I want some!" Prompto started to make his way over as well.

"Didn't you know? Special privileges are reserved for the apprentice only." A sleepy Noctis spoke as he shuffled into the living room.

"No one's eating until we open these presents." The prince took a seat on the couch as he shot you a death glare. "Spoon down."

You had your mouth wide open for that giant spoonful of mashed potatoes you were getting ready to chow down on. You could taste the creamy, thick, buttery deliciousness already. But no. Noctis was not having it. All you wanted was even one little teeny tiny bite!

"Fine!" You put the spoon down after fighting a mental war in your head. "Let's open the damn presents. Merry Christmas everyone."

You and Gladio sat in the chairs opposite one another. Prompto, Noctis, and Ignis took the couch. The order in which everyone opened the presents would be random. It was just whatever box was grabbed first.

Noctis grabbed a random box and read underneath the bow. "Okay, this one is for... me?"

What a coincidence you were thinking. Whatever, the order was the order.

He began to peel away at the wrapping and open the box. What lay inside? It was a multitude of hair care products, and ones that weren't cheap. That whole set was way over budget, and this was only the first gift. It was a great present, and one that you would be using in later days, but not better than the one you bought.

This definitely seemed like a gift Prompto would give. You took a mental note.

"Wow, this is pretty amazing. It's got all my favorites." The prince actually showed some emotion through his sleepy state. "Thanks."

"I'm using some." You flashed your tongue at the boy.

"Me too!" Prompto nodded as he knew the importance of fine hair care products.

He set the gift down and picked up the next. He read the name once again, "This is, Ignis."

Noctis passed the box to the man and he began to rip into it. All you could think about was how upset you'd be if someone bought him some damn kitchenware.

Opening the box, he revealed a grandiose bottle of cologne. Ooh, that stuff cost an arm and a leg per ounce. The price was nearing how much you paid for those shoes, but not quite. Probably a gift from Gladio seeing as he and Ignis were the only ones who even consistently used cologne between the 5 of you.

The blond spritzed himself with the cologne and nodded in approval, "It's phenomenal. Thank you."

"I wanna smell it!" You leapt from the chair and scampered over to Ignis.

You placed your face close to his neck and took a deep inhale. Sometimes you just didn't know the meaning of personal space. You were close enough for him to smell the perfume on you. You just weren't thinking though. You wanted to react to every gift so no one knew which was yours.

"It smells clean." You walked back over to the chair. "I like it."

"Alright, alright. Next gift." Noctis reached for another. "This one is... for you Prompto."

Okay! Poker face! You couldn't overreact or under react. Just, act natural!

The blond boy rattled the gift around before tearing into it. "It's heavy."

If only this weren't a Secret Santa, because you would be grinning ear to ear if you could!

"Whoa." Prompto's face was pricelessly flushed as he pulled out those one of a kind shoes.

Everyone knew exactly what shoes they were and how much they cost. To keep up with appearances, you put on a fraudulent shocked face as well. Ugh, you were so elated to make the boy's day. Good things should come to good people, you thought.

His eyes began to water a bit as he looked at them. "This is seriously the nicest present I've ever... thank you so much."

"Those are pretty freaking sweet." Gladio pursed his lips as he looked at them.

"We have the same foot size, right?" Noctis asked as he looked at them.

"You're gonna look so cool in those when we go back to school." You gave him a thumbs up.

Everyone took a moment to revel in the presence of the shoes, and it was exactly what you wanted. More than anything though, you knew you made the right decision in buying them because they made Prompto happy.

"Second to the last one." Noct grabbed the present. "Gladio. It's all you."

You were a little upset that you had to be the last one to open your present, but whatever. Seeing everyone's happy face was nice too.

"Alrighty, what did I get?" The big man unwrapped his gift, and as he folded back the box his eyes widened. "Now this is pretty awesome."

He held up a pair of headphones and a levitating speaker. Honestly you found yourself becoming a bit envious. You wanted this! It was first-class! This seemed like a gift directly from Prompto.

Wait a minute. Now something wasn't adding up. Did Prompto buy the electronics or the hair stuff? He was in that electronics store, but then again, hair products screamed his name. But Ignis could have bought them as well. Ughhh, now you were so lost!

"I can take these headphones with me next time I go on a run. Thanks. This is really cool."

"Yeah, and you can use the speaker anywhere." You looked longingly at the electronics.

"I believe it has a voice recognition feature as well." Ignis leaned in as he looked at the box.

"Last but not least." Noctis passed you your present. "Merry Christmas squirt."

You excitedly grabbed your box and smiled as you did. It was about time. Whatever it was, you didn't care. Just knowing that someone took the time to pick out a present for you was nice enough.

You peeled back the paper nice and slowly. You were going to leave everyone in suspense for your present being picked last. Agonizingly sluggish, you pulled back the folds of the box. Upon opening it, your eyes amplified and you let out a high pitched shriek. You pushed away the box as if your worst nightmare lay inside.

Your arms and legs retracted and you outstretched your hand to cover the box from your vision. What the hell was in that box that was making you react like this? Everyone gazed at you with a confused look. Was it something you didn't like? Was it something you were afraid of? Did the gift offend you?

Your hands reached up to cover your mouth and you shook your head. "No! Absolutely not! I can't accept this?"

You reached into the box and pulled out a stunning rose gold upper arm bangle encrusted with six 24 carat diamonds. Yes, it was the one you'd been looking yesterday. Really you looked at it for more than just yesterday. It'd been on your mind since it first went on display a few months ago.

The eyebrows of everyone in the room raised. It was such an expensive gift. Beat out the price you paid for those shoes by a landslide.

One of these boys bought it, and you just couldn't bring yourself to accept it. No way. This thing was too expensive. You didn't mean to sound ungrateful, but you just couldn't take it.

"It's gorgeous, but..."

"Just wear it." Noctis rolled his eyes.

Was it him? Was Noct your Secret Santa? It would make sense; he had the most money to spend. But then again, that didn't make sense. He already had his present when you saw him in the store. Maybe he got it prior to seeing you? Oh you were definitely getting to the bottom of this.

You slipped off your coat and revealed the rest of your dress. A sheer material held the back together so it alluded to a line of 'floating' buttons down your back. Damn, you were killing these boys with your looks today. You took the band and pulled it to your upper arm. It fit perfectly, and it was just as beautiful on as you imagined.

This metal piece was so cold, but it wasn't the temperature of it that gave you goosebumps. It was the fact that this was yours, well, for now anyway. You'd give yourself the day to think about it. If it was too much of a burden, you'd return it and give whomever back their money. You were trying your best not to be rude, but you hated receiving very expensive gifts. This was the reason why you never wanted to know the price of that red diamond necklace you always wore; guilt.

"Thank you; whoever got this." A soft smile adorned your face.

Whichever one of them bought this for you obviously cared a lot about you. You could tell they didn't do this to be flashy, but because they were observant of the things you liked and wanted to make you happy. This present had Noct's name smeared all over it. You'd have to do some investigating, but you just wanted to be sure.

"This was fun!" Prompto yelled out as he admired his new kicks.

"Yup. Now come on kiddies. We have to get going." Gladio looked over at you and Prompto.

"So soon? But I didn't even get to eat yet!" You looked hungrily at the food Ignis cooked.

You sprung from the couch and walked back into the kitchen. "Can I at least get my one bite?"

The spoon in your hand inched up to your mouth as you plead. Your asked as if to get permission, but you were having some of these mashed potatoes no matter what Gladio said! That was for damn sure! Putting the spoon into your mouth, you were not disappointed. So scrumptious and buttery; seasoned with salt and pepper just right. Bacon bits, garlic, and chives.

The corners of your mouth pulled upwards as you leaned your weight up against the counter. Every chew was like a new delicious adventure. A low moan escaped your mouth as you received well to the euphoria that was this food. Your middle finger came to get a bit of the excess off your bottom lip, and you brought it to your mouth to suck the rest off.

You unconsciously pulled your finger free and gave another soft moan. "Mmm, that was good."

Your head turned to look at the boys, and they just stood there dumbfounded. What the hell were they staring at?

"What?" You looked at the group a little bewildered yourself as you stood back to your normal height. "I just really like mashed potatoes."

"We need to leave now." Gladio almost demanded as he spoke.

You walked back to the chair to grab your coat, but you'd not put it on. You wanted to show off this new piece of jewelry. At least for the sake of the person who bought it.

"You guys coming to Gladio's afterwards?" Prompto asked Noct and Ignis who were staying behind.

"If we can make it, yeah." Noct reassured the boy with a nod.

"Text me if you are, okay?" You walked to Ignis and gave him a parting hug.

You did the same to Noctis and scooped up Benedict once more. With that, you three were out the door.

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 2:01pm : 172 days**

"Hey, I just wanted to formally say thank you for the bangle. I love it." Your eyes fondly looked over to Gladio in the driver's seat.

You of course were in the passenger's seat, and Prompto was in the back behind you with Benedict. Gladio had a hand atop your thigh; not too far up. His thumb gently rubbed up and down against the material of your dress. It felt nice, but you were holding your breath the whole time that Prompto wouldn't see, and also that Gladio wouldn't start tickling you again. You couldn't ask him to stop because that would really give it away. If only there was a title to this you wouldn't be so apprehensive.

"I'm not telling you who bought it. Maybe it was me; maybe it wasn't."

"Aha!" Your newly black painted finger pointed at him, "So you do know who bought it?!"

You looked back behind your seat at Prompto, "Was it you?"

"Maybe." He shrugged his shoulders as he played his phone game.

This was tormenting. You wanted to know who bought it. It was for your own sanity. If Noctis bought it, that would be the best case scenario. If Gladio bought it, that would be very romantic and sweet. If Ignis bought it, you wouldn't really know how to feel. If Prompto bought it, you'd just feel bad knowing that he spent so much money on you. Someone needed to tell you something!

"Wait, so do you guys know who bought it and you're just not telling me? Was it Noctis? I'm like 90 percent sure it was him."

"I just told you. I may or may not have been the person who bought it. It was your idea to make the Secret Santa so anonymous. Do you not like it or something?" Gladio took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at you.

There was always a way of telling when a person was lying. Gladio was the one who bought that bangle for you. From that answer alone, you could tell.

"I love it, actually. I know that whoever bought it for me is a really thoughtful person, because I never once mentioned it to anyone. They must have observed the type of person I am and knew it was something I liked. The thoughtfulness alone makes me more thankful than the present itself."

Yup, you were laying it on thick. If he wasn't going to claim it, then you would still thank him for it and show gratitude. You'd be riddled with guilt over the price, but it was still very special to you.

You three were just pulling up to the Amicitia manor once again. It was as scenic as you remembered it. Except... there was something different this time. Cars were parked all around the place.

"Um, you have company over?" You slightly side eyed Gladio.

"Just a few. You nervous?" He teased with his tantalizing amber eyes.

"Yeah right. Let's go." You opened the car door and the three of you made your way to the front.

You weren't really a party person per se. Well, not when you didn't know anyone there. Truth be told, you'd probably be clinging onto Prompto all night, and if Noct showed up, then both of them.

Gladio opened the door and there were a bunch of people crowding the place. Music was up, food was eaten, people were dancing, and the time was a good one. You didn't know if these people were friends or family. Probably a little bit of both by the way they greeted him upon walking inside.

This was not the nice quaint little meet and greet you were expecting to have. It was just a little short of a party, but not quite a get together either.

"Gladdy!" A voice sounded from beyond the crowd.

You watched as a 12 year old girl ran past everyone and gave Gladiolus a big hug. Iris of course. She had on a medium length red dress with a bow tied in the back and white tights with patterns of white flowers on them. She followed suit by giving Prompto a polite wave.

She looked over at you confused as to who you were. You smiled at her and reached into your gift bag. Inside was a small wrapped present. You figured it would be a good ice breaker. No harm done. You leaned down a bit and handed it to the young girl.

"Nice to meet you. I'm a friend of your brother." You watched as she hesitantly took your present.

She opened it and inside was a small moogle plushie. Damn thing was the last one in stock, so you hoped she liked it.

"Thank you." She broke her confused face with a balmy smile. "I'm Iris."

You extended your hand for a handshake, "Nice to meet you."

So this was Iris Amicitia? You were kind of worried that she wouldn't like you. She and Gladiolus were so close that you figured she'd see you as someone trying to step on her toes. Maybe it helped that you were introduced as his friend. Friend was a lot less threatening of a position than girlfriend.

"Gladdy." Iris waved him down to her height.

He followed her direction and she whispered something in his ear.

The tall man's eyes focused in on you as Iris spoke to him. Gladio's pearly whites began to show from behind his lips, "Yeah, she is pretty huh?"

Aww, your heart could just melt. Why was she being so nice? Was she just buttering you up so she could pull a cruel prank later?

The big man lifted back up and looked back at you and Prompto, "You guys hungry?"

"Uh, yeah dude." The blond rubbed his stomach, "I've been dying for a while now."

Gladio pointed over to the kitchen, "Food's on the counter. Get as much as you'd like. I'm gonna go put Benedict up; give her some food."

He took the leash from your hand and made his way upstairs. That was sweet of him. Brownie points. Brownie points everywhere!

The two of you moseyed your way into the kitchen and saw the gorgeous layout. It wasn't the display that impressed you. It was the food. If people thought that just because you were dressed up meant that you were going to eat half a cracker and a tomato, they better think again. You took a plate and began piling the food on top. It was like 95 percent meat, 2 percent vegetables, and 3 percent pie on your plate.

Prompto looked at your plate impressed, "Atta girl." He cheered you on.

You were so ready to chow down on this meal. Your mouth watered as you two made your way to dining room to eat. You set your plate down and immediately dug in. You didn't even have time to relish in how beautiful this room was.

Nice long wooden table. Crystal chandelier. Fondue as the centerpiece just for the occasion. What a mistake this was to have in front of you and Prompto. You used your fork to pick up a thinly sliced piece of meat and dipped it into the fondue.

You brought it to your mouth and let the ecstasy of this chocolatey meat whisk you away. Prompto did the same, and before you knew it you two were dipping everything into the fountain.

You spoke with your mouth absolutely stuffed, "That was a cool Secret Santa, huh? So that shampoo you got Noct, where did you buy it?"

The blond boy swallowed what was in his mouth and shook his head. "I didn't get the hair stuff. I bought the headphones and speaker. You can get that shampoo at the- oh dammit!" He stopped as he just realized he broke the secrecy of this gift exchange.

Fell right into your little trap, and you loved it. Mental check; Prompto bought the headphones, and Gladio bought the bangle. That meant Noctis bought the cologne and Ignis bought the hair products. Boom! That's how it's done!

"Hello again. Glad to see you could make it."

Your cheeks were stuffed with food as you turned to look at the person talking to you. You were almost certain that there was a little bit of chocolate trailing down the side of your mouth.

Your eyes met those of Clarus Amicitia and you nearly choked on the food in your mouth. Frantically you searched for a napkin to wipe your mouth with. You choked down what you'd been currently eating and swallowed harshly. You used the napkin to hurriedly clean your face.

"Sir! Oh my goodness! Merry Christmas." You stood out of your seat to shake the man's hand.

He was once again dressed up in his work clothes. Just stopping by again. It was kind of a shame that he didn't have more time on his hands. He took your hand and shook it firmly and graciously.

"I have a gift for you." You handed him the giftbag and beyond the tissue paper was a teakwood scented candle. Yes, you took Noct's advice on that one.

His eyes looked into yours and you could feel the gratefulness. You didn't have to get him anything, but you did. It was awfully kind of you, and maybe you didn't feel it now, but he was growing fond of you.

"This is a very kind gesture. I appreciate this gift." He shot a smile your way.

"Merry Christmas to you as well. I apologize that I cannot stay longer, but must get going. Enjoy yourself, and take care."

You were surprised. This time he was telling you to take care instead of taking care of his son. You could multitask.

You got back to eating, and not too far into it Iris sat in the chair beside you.

"Hi again." You waved to the girl.

"Hello." She held up the moogle plushie you'd given her. "I really like this present. Thank you."

Her head cocked to the side, "Do you like my brother?"

Dammit little girl! Shut up! Prompto was right here listening! He was very attentive as she spoke.

"I care about him as I do with all of my friends." You gave a cheeky vanilla response.

"You have really pretty hair." She smiled brightly at you.

"Oh, thank you." You were so flattered by her compliment. Children had a certain way of either making people feel really good or really bad about themselves.

"Guess it makes sense though after Gladdy bought all that expensive hair stuff."

"Hair stuff?" You narrowed your eyes as you thought about it.

Hold on! Noctis received hair stuff! That meant Gladio didn't buy the arm bangle?! Prompto told on himself about buying the headphones and speaker. You obviously bought the shoes, and that meant Noctis bought the cologne since he couldn't have picked himself for the Secret Santa.

There was only one person left; the person who bought you rose gold diamond encrusted upper arm cuff. Ignis Scientia. But why?

Maybe you were looking too far into this, but it wasn't just a regular gift to you. It was something you'd give to a lover, or a best friend; both of which you two were not.

Your phone vibrated and it was Noctis. _'Just got in the car. On our way over to Gladio's right now.'_

Your heart dropped a little bit from reading the text. You needed to have a little chat with Ignis.

You replied short and sweet, _'Good. See you soon.'_


	10. Secret Santa (part 2)

**Amicitia Manor : 3:22pm : 172 days**

You were outside in the backyard now chatting it up with Prompto and some of Gladio's old friends. Iris was inside now talking to her own friends; long lived you guys' conversation. You sat in a lawn chair right by the heater, so you were all but cold.

It'd been about 20 minutes since Noctis texted you, so he'd be arriving any time now. You were just waiting for the moment. What would you say? How would you bring this whole situation up, you wondered? Was there even a situation here?

"Scooch." Gladio approached you after making his rounds and talking to everyone.

"Scooch where?" You gestured to the chair that obviously seated one.

He grabbed your hand and pulled you out of the seat. Positioning himself where you previously were, he placed a hand on your waist and guided you back into his lap. Not fully, but just on his thigh.

Aww, he was being embarrassing. Why in front of everyone? He could have gotten himself another chair.

Prompto's blue eyes widened as he saw the gesture. The boy was slow to pick up on things for some reason, but this he saw. His head ducked down into his phone as he nearly burned a hole in it from texting so fast.

You felt your phone buzz. Whoever could it be? Prompto, who else?

You were dreading reading this text, but it needed to be done. It read 'Are you two... you know?' At the end was an emoji of the right pointing hand and the 'ok' hand. No, subtle was not his middle name.

You felt your phone vibrate again and there were four eggplant emoji's with a multitude of exclamation points and question marks. You looked back up to see his eyes begging you for answers. All you could do was stare back. Your eyes locked for much longer than they should have.

Just as you were getting ready to reply, your arm swung and knocked the drink out of Gladio's hand. Didn't make too much of a mess, but that was only because your dress soaked up the brown beverage in your lap before it could hit the ground.

You stood up on impact and looked at your ruined dress. So much for you looking hot as hell.

"You okay?" Gladio stood up and looked at the mess. "Let me take you upstairs to get you cleaned up."

You put a hand on his arm and shook your head. "No, it's okay. I know my way around."

"Your clothes are still here from last time. Jared washed them. They're in the guest room armoire if you wanna get changed."

"Thank you. I'll be right back." You gestured Prompto to follow you with a nod, "Come. Let's go check on Benedict."

The two of you headed upstairs to the guest room where your bloodhound lay asleep. Obviously you were here to get changed, but you also needed to talk to the blond. You closed the door behind you and prepared yourself for a debate.

"When did you guys start-"

"We're not!" You cut off the blond's words with your own. "There is nothing going on that shouldn't be going on."

"Yeah, uh-huh." Prompto fell back on the bed beside Benedict. "Then why did you bring me in here?"

"I have... questions." You brought your index fingernail between your teeth in somewhat of a nervous manner.

The petite boy sat up on the bed as he noticed you were being serious now. He wasn't done teasing you about this whole Gladio situation, but for now it would halt.

"What?" His eyes followed you as you paced back and forth.

"Does..." Your eyes shut tightly before asking the question. "Does Ignis ever talk about me while I'm not around?"

Strange question; suspicious even. Asking about Ignis at a time like this; that was odd.

"Whyyyy?" His skeptical voice stretched out his words.

"For once in your life can you stop it with the uncertainty?" Your voice raised an octave.

"That's probably a question you should be asking Noct. He'd know more than I do."

You pointed at the door, "Out. I need to get changed."

It was hard to tell if you told him to leave because you were annoyed with his answer, or because you really wanted to get this sticky dress off you.

"Fine, but our conversation is not over." The boy hopped to his feet and out the door; closing it behind him.

You seriously needed to get out of these wet clothes now. Your legs were starting to get sticky, and this was not a good look. Your arms reached up to unbutton the dress, but you couldn't get it. Just begged the question, how did you get this thing on again? You jumped the gun on sending Prompto away, now didn't you?

You heard a knock on the door and flinched unexpectedly. "Come in?"

A hesitated answer. It wasn't your house, so you felt a little strange giving permission to enter. Still, you were glad the person knocked. You were technically getting changed after all.

The door knob turned, and in walked Noctis. "Sup squirt. Prompto said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Oh good, you're here!" You pulled your hair up so it was completely out of the way. "Can you help me with these buttons?"

"Sure." He walked fully inside and kept the door ajar.

Standing behind you, he began to work on the delicate buttons. "Damn these are frustrating. Why is the loop so much smaller than the button?!"

He peeked over your shoulder as he still attempted to unfasten them. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Nothing. I never said I needed to talk to you." Your head turned so your peripheral met his gaze. "Prompto tends to blow things out of proportion sometimes."

The prince lowered his hands away from your dress. "I can't get these damn buttons off. As a matter of fact, Ignis!"

The black haired boy yelled through the open door. "Ignis!" He advanced to the archway and waved the man upstairs.

"Yes? What seems to be the problem?" The blond curiously rose his eyebrows as he spoke to the prince.

"I can't for the life of me unbutton that dress. Have fun. I'm gonna go eat." Just like that the boy pushed his responsibilities off on Ignis.

He saw you standing there looking wildly uncomfortable. You wanted to chat with him, but maybe not this very second. You'd ease up a tad. Truly you did need to get this dress off.

"You need help?" He walked further into the room.

"Yeah, just the buttons. I can't reach them." Cautiously you turn around and pulled up your hair so that not strand was in the way.

His ice cold hands reached for the button on the back of your neck. As soon as he touched you, you shivered from the frigidness, and chills were sent down your spine.

The man retracted, "Sorry about that."

"It's fine." You released a soft laugh, "I just wasn't prepared."

"Ready?" His hands hovered over your back before resuming.

"Yup." You nodded slightly.

He went back to unbuttoning your dress, and your mind was racing. Should you bring up the band? Should you not bring it up? Should you let it go? Were you over thinking this? Probably. It was one hell of a conversations starter; that cuff. The price tag was enough to make a rich man think twice. All while you were pondering this...

You let out a faint gasp as the material of your dress fell forward. Your hand was there to catch it, and before you knew it Ignis was nearing the buttons on your lower back. Should you tell him you got it from here? Would it make things awkward if you did?

There it was. His delicate hands were on the final button at your lower back. The hair standing on the back of your neck was no longer from his cold hands, no. You stood with your bare back to the man and you could swear his hands lingered a moment. Maybe it was just your imagination.

You kept your back to the man, "Thanks Iggy."

You turned to him and his face became ever so tenuously flushed. One slip up with that dress and you'd be totally exposed.

"Wouldn't want to spend the rest of the time here looking total mess." You smiled modestly.

"Certainly." He turned hurriedly toward the door and exited, closing it behind him.

You dropped your dress and it felt sort of freeing. In all honesty, you didn't want to get dressed, but you had to. You unfolded the clothes that were formally Noct's and put on the black shirt. Holy shit, there was your lingerie folded into it.

Okay, confession time. You had this quirk; a small one, where you always wore at least one piece of lingerie. Whether it be the bra, the panties, the body suit, or the garter belt. Most of the time a combination of two or three. When you first started high school nearly 3 years ago, you were met with a lot of girls who were prettier than you, or thinner than you, taller than you, whatever. So you decided you'd wear lingerie under your clothes to make you feel sexy, even if no one ever saw it.

Somehow doing so boosted your confidence enough to realize that they weren't better than you. Not that all the insecurities disappeared overnight, but it helped you see your own beauty and worth. That being said... you left your crotcheless panties over here and you were sincerely embarrassed.

You'd slip on the shorts now and kneel at the bedside by Benedict's face. You gave a kiss to her sleepy head.

"You got me out of trouble that first night. Please... keep me out of trouble girl."

You didn't even want to go back downstairs. You just wanted to lay on the bed and go to sleep. No one would notice if you didn't come back down, right?

Your arms stretched out as you slid onto the soft, plush bed. A low hum expelled from your throat as you got comfy. You figured you deserved a break. Resting your eyes for a minute wouldn't hurt anyone.

Seemed like as soon as you closed your eyes a knock sounded on the door. Why couldn't you just get a moment of peace? You were too tired to grant a proper entry, so you just mumbled and hoped someone understood you.

The door handle turned once more, and Noctis entered again. "Hey squirt, I'm getting ready to head home."

Your head lifted from the bed and you sleepily frowned at the boy, "Leaving? You just got here."

"Looks like someone took one of those 'What Year Is It' naps." Prompto peeked his head in.

You sprung from the bed and looked out the window. Yup, it was night alright. Why did it feel like you didn't sleep at all?

"Okay, okay. I'm coming down right now." You collected all your clothing and Benedict.

Your eyes blinked harshly as you saw the guests were nowhere to be found. Gone, like they were never there.

You rubbed each eye as you walked downstairs. Using the guide rail to help you down, you saw everyone waiting at the door.

"You need a ride Half-Pint?" Gladio rose his eyebrows as he prepared to drive you back.

"I can take her Gladio. It's on the way." Ignis nodded to the man.

Oh, right. You still needed to talk to the man. Maybe this would be a good time for that.

"Thanks Iggy." You agreed to the ride. "Noct, you coming?"

"No." The boy shook his head, "I took my own car. Plus I gotta take Prompto home. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Oh, okay." You walked to Gladio and gave the man a tender hug, "This was fun. I slept through most of it, but I enjoyed myself. Thank you."

This ending was not met with a kiss. Gladio had no problem showing affection toward you, but he didn't want to do it in front of his little sister. You guys weren't official just yet, and he didn't want to set the wrong example for her. It was understandable, and you respected him a lot more because of it.

"Bye Iris. Bye Jared." You waved to them as you left through the front. "I'll try to stop by more often." Your eyes snapped back to Gladio, "That is, if I'm invited."

You pranced out the front door carrying Benedict's leash your clothes. The two of you headed to his car and on your way home.

.

 **Home : 8:51pm : 172 days**

You pulled down the sun visor and slid the cover open to look at yourself in the mirror. Make up was still good, but you had a serious case of bed head.

"It's so terrible Iggy!"

"Hmm?" His eyebrows raised astoundingly.

"My hair has been a mess this whole time. My charm has been overwhelmingly cut by 50 percent." You bashfully hid your face behind your hands.

"I beg to differ." He delivered a reassuring grin followed by his green eyes meeting yours for a quick second.

"You calling me cute?" Your eyebrows raised as you playfully lowered your hands.

Man, you had this way of making people around you get all flustered and whatnot. He swallowed a bit of saliva and cleared his throat shortly after. He didn't know how to reply to that.

"I'm just kidding. I know I'm not your type. Anyway, I want to ask you about something."

His eyes widened just a hair in a small fit of shock from your words. Not his type? Did you even know what his type was? Maybe his so called 'type' was not quite what you'd expect it to be.

Ignis pulled over right outside of your house and put the car in park. He gave you his undivided attention at this point.

You lifted the sleeve of your shirt and revealed to him the band. "I did the math and I know it was you who bought it."

You'd suspend your words for a split second as you didn't want to make yourself seem ungrateful. "Now far be it for me to complain about the perfect gift, but I don't deserve something THIS expensive. I told you these luxury gifts make me feel guilty."

You pulled your red diamond necklace from under your shirt and gestured to it.

"Forgive me if I'm out of line, but, why did you buy it?"

He'd take a moment before he spoke. It was almost like he was pondering his thoughts first. Like he knew what he was going to say, but then decided against those words. His eyes glanced down for a moment and then back up at you.

"Because you don't think your actions merit anything. You don't feel worthy of praise, or adoration. I wanted to prove you wrong."

That was totally not the answer you were expecting, and definitely not the one you wanted to hear. Now you were sitting here with a lot weighing on your mind. He spoke a lot of truth in that short reply. Well, you got to the bottom of it, and you sort of wished you didn't. Being in ignorance was a lot better than this. In all honesty, you kind of felt like an asshole, and you didn't even do anything wrong.

"You can't say that to me." Your voice was almost inaudible. Raising your volume a bit more, you shook your head and repeated yourself. "You can't say that to me."

What were you feeling? Something? Nothing? The possibility of something? You'd always thought Ignis was attractive and funny, but you never thought twice about anything romantic. You just assumed a guy like him was way out of your league, so you didn't even try. Hell, you would have thought Gladio was out of your league if he didn't make it painfully clear that he wasn't. Shit! This situation was stickier than a toddler with a syrup bottle.

"You do the same thing." Your back lifted from the seat as you turned to face the man better. "Everyday you do so much for everyone, and I know that you know you deserve more appreciation than you're given. You kind of just fell into this role of pleasing everyone and not expecting some kind of recognition for it."

Nothing ever went according to plan in your life. This conversation was supposed to be a simple reply to a simple question. He was supposed to say something like 'I bought this for you because I thought you'd like it.' The end. No, it wasn't like that at all.

"I would have had an easier time accepting this from anyone else. Noctis spends money like it's nothing. Gladio; even if we don't become more than just friends, I know that he'd be able to move on quickly without regrets. I'd feel bad if Prompto bought it for me, but at the same time he'd know I'd probably do a shit ton of favors for him and pay him back. You are the only one who isn't expecting some kind of reward out of this."

He'd sit deeper into his seat; not necessarily slumped, but just fairly lax. "Maybe my reward was to see your delectation. Just as you wanted to see Prompto's. That is why you bought the shoes for him, is it not?"

Ah, so he was calculating who bought what gift as well. Seems his conclusion was correct. He did for you what you did for Prompto. Wouldn't change his life any to see you happy, so what was his point? It was still hard to determine whether he was doing this as a friend, or a something more. The pussyfooting had to end here. It was getting you nowhere. You just had to be blunt and ask.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" Your eyes could all but fixate on his.

You jumped deep down the rabbit hole, and there was no coming up for air. May as well keep going against the grain if you were to make any progress.

"My fondness for you has nothing to do with your exterior if that's what you're asking." His hand gently caressed your chin and pulled it so you could face him. "But to answer your question, yes... you are absolutely stunning."

This was not happening right now. Nope! You were totally not here in Ignis' car listening to him tell you that you were important and beautiful. Why the hell was he being so forward with you? You didn't expect this out of him. Then again, you shouldn't be so surprised. You pulled a lot of things out of the man that he wouldn't normally do or say.

This was a huge change from yesterday when he claimed Noctis was wrong about him having feelings for you. Maybe he just knew his time was limited, and he needed to make a move before it was too late. And by too late, that meant before Noctis told Prompto, and Prompto told everyone. Maybe he just wanted to open up on his own terms.

However, Ignis did know about you and Gladio, didn't he? Perhaps now was the perfect time to strike; while you two were just friends. Yes you kissed and flirted PLENTY, but there wasn't exactly a label to that relationship. If you did decide to sever the romance, you knew Gladio was the type of guy you could still be friends with afterwards, and it gave you comfort in knowing that.

Still, that wasn't to say you'd give all that up to be with Ignis right now. Ughh, you didn't even know what to think! You were unequivocally going to lose some sleep tonight.

You pulled away and put your hand to the door handle. "I better get going. I need to feed Benedict again and hop in the shower. I'll see you later, okay?"

This was an interesting way to end the night, now wasn't it? You just wanted to pause this conversation until you got your thoughts straight. You only had a few months left to be around these guys, and honestly you didn't feel like you deserved either of them.

You opened the back door and pulled Benedict from the seat. You waved at the man with a friendly smile. Face rose red after this exchange.

"Thank you. For, you know, everything."

You thanked him but you honestly wanted to strangle him as well. He put you in a serious predicament, and one that wouldn't be solved from just a few hours of sleep.

Turning around as you waved, your foot got intertwined in Benedict's leash, and to the ground you went.

"Oh shit!" You blurted as you fell down. This was embarrassing.

Quickly hopping back up, you dusted yourself off, "I'm good. Yup, totally good. Heh heh, I'm gonna head inside now. You drive safe, okay? Okay, great."

Stuff like this had a tendency of happening when you liked someone... Wait a second... Stuff like this ONLY happened when you liked someone! That meant...

You put the key inside the lock of your door and pondered your thoughts, "Fuck!"

You stepped inside your house and all of the lights were off. You closed the door behind you and flicked on the switch beside the door.

The room dimly illuminated. Your house was so plain, so why all the fuss? There was a black leather couch facing a small 30 inch television. Above you was some recess lighting, and on the opposite side of the room was a fireplace.

Benedict took her place on the couch and just lay. That was probably why you decided to keep her. All she did was eat and sleep. Lazy, just how you liked it.

The dark wood flooring creaked beneath your feet as you advanced to the back room. There was a long dark hallway. One door to the left, and one on the right. Both stayed closed 99 percent of the time.

At the back of the hall was your room. You put your hand to the knob and twisted it open. You turned on the floor lamp that stood in the back by your bathroom door. Again, plain. White walls, small, gray carpet, and a mattress with a grey sheet and comforter.

There was something interesting in here, however. Two showcases. One with a quiver of steel arrows. The other was slightly covered by a red velour cloth. It held a sword encrusted with jewels beyond what the likes of a the average person had ever seen. The sword was long and silver. It had been hand crafted and custom made for a grip that was not your own.

You didn't like spending too much time in this house, and particularly this room. It was miserable. You lifted the red cloth so it covered the sword completely. All you came in here for was some pajamas and sleep.

Stripping down, you threw your clothes anywhere and grabbed a big shirt to rest in. You grabbed your phone from the pocket of the shorts before tossing it to the floor again and turning off the light.

You crawled into bed and unlocked your phone as you prepared to send a message to Noctis. You could just go ahead and ignore all 7 of the missed eggplant and water droplet emoji messages from Prompto.

It was then as you typed that realized you'd forgotten something very important. You left your clothes, along with those not embarrassing whatsoever crotcheless panties in Ignis' car. Great, he was going to think you were a total freak. You could rest your head easy knowing that.

'You up?' You texted the prince.

'It's only 9:40 squirt.'

'Can we talk? Are you alone?'

'Yeah, go for it.'

Good, you knew you could count on him. Usually you threw all of your problems at Prompto's feet, but not this time.

Your forearm came to rest on your forehead as you stared up at your black painted ceiling. It was the only nice thing about this room. Hell, it was the only nice thing about this house. The ceiling was splattered with small dots of glow in the dark paint, so every time you looked up you could see the stars.

It was a nice way to get your mind off things when it was time to go to sleep. Not only that, you lived in Insomnia where the stars could only be seen clearly in certain area's and at specific times. The city lights were never any help.

You held the phone to your ear as you dialed up Noct. How would you bring all of this up? Oh hey Noct, just wanted to call so I could tell you I'm sort of in a love triangle with your friends. Okay, goodnight.

"Hello." Noct finally picked up.

"Hey." You mellowly replied before sighing into the phone.

"What's up?" His voice sounded all but concerned.

"Can I ask you a hypothetical question?" You rolled to your right side and began to fiddle with the blanket.

"Go for it."

"Would you rather do the right thing, or the thing that feels right?"

The line remained silent. The boy pondered the question and took it seriously as he knew how you got about your hypotheticals. Yes they were normally questions about scenarios that would never come to fruition, but the answers given could tell you a lot about the person being asked.

"Who's to say the right thing isn't the thing that feels right? I'd do the thing that feels right, because it's probably the right thing anyway."

Now it was you who took the dramatic pause. You were afraid he'd say something like that, but it at least gave you more clarity on where to go and what to do. You just had to do what felt right, and let that be your guide.

"That's all I wanted to know. Thanks Noct. I'm gonna head to sleep."

"Okay, night squirt."

You hung up the phone and you just felt jumbled yet coherent. You were going to take Noct's advice and just go with the flow. I'd been getting you by thus far. Maybe if you slept on it you'd gain even more lucidity.

Gladio or Ignis? The right thing, or what felt right? Hmmm?


	11. New Year's Resolution

**Apartment : 3:52pm: 169 days**

"Noctis Lucis fucking idiot!"

You took one of the back cushions off of Noct's couch and began to smother his face in with it. The boy was curled in a ball as you wailed at him.

"I can't believe you made Iggy to tell me all of those things! I've been avoiding him and Gladio like the plague for days!"

The prince rose from under your force and fixed his hair, "I didn't MAKE him do anything. I just told him if he didn't tell you how he felt then I would."

You gave another smack to the boy's face with the cushion before putting it back. "Oh, so I guess Gladio and I were hitting it off a little TOO well, huh? We needed a monkey wrench to spice things up?"

"You're not getting it." Noctis rubbed the back of his head hoping this headache would go away soon.

"No, I'm not getting it! Please elaborate for me!" You sat back fuming with your arms crossed.

It was true, you'd been avoiding both men until you could get your mind right. You connected with each of them on different levels. Gladio was more of a physical attraction, and Ignis was an intellectual attraction; both being very important parts of a relationship to you. You wouldn't have had a problem with it so much if it was just Ignis coming out and telling you, but Noctis played a part in this, and that rubbed you the wrong way.

"Geez, you're so defensive right now." The boy scooted an arm's length distance away from you.

"You're goddamn right I'm defensive! Why the hell would you open Pandora's box like that? I would have been fine living in ignorance about this whole thing."

You were like, legitimately angry. It'd been a long time since Noctis had seen you this way. He had better get to explaining or you were going to start swinging, and not with a pillow this time.

"Ignis doesn't really pay attention to most girls. They come and they go. He only ever had one girlfriend, and she is a part of a story for another time. You caught his interest, and I knew he'd regret not saying something to you. So, I forced his hand."

"Noctisssss." You fell back onto the couch and let your arms and legs go limp. "You don't think that's kind of unfair to Gladio?"

The raven haired boy shrugged, "If anyone could get over something like this quickly, it would be Gladio. He's never had a shortage of women."

Your head lifted from the couch and you gave him look that warned 'tread lightly'.

"What about me though? I like Gladio. Shouldn't I decide?" You let out a long sigh, "I get it though. Your heart was in the right place, but your head was in your ass."

"Tell Ignis no then. He's grown, he'll understand." Noct stood from the couch to go eat the leftovers on the stove.

Your hands came up to your face and you were almost smothering yourself now, "It's not that easy. Maybe I should just go back to the old days where I avoided all your friends. That way everything's equal."

"They know where you live squirt."

A long extended moan bellowed from your throat, "I just want to be alone."

You rose from the couch and started for the exit.

Noct yelled out to you. "You coming over to watch the ball drop in a few days?"

"Depends. Who's gonna be there?" You rose your voice from the other room as you put your sneakers on.

"Everyone."

"Bye Noct." You opened his front door and left for the evening.

.

 **Unknown : 5:02pm : 166 days**

Your ignoring had officially extended to the entire group. You just needed to be alone for a while and ponder your feelings. Why did things have to be this way? It was going so well and then... life decided it wanted to kick your ass. It wasn't healthy to be left alone with your thoughts like this, and although you knew Prompto would always be there to give sound advice, you didn't want to talk about it.

You were back in the old abandoned warehouse to train once again, and get some frustrations out. The targets still held your arrows in them, but that's not what you were training with today. No, today you were training with the grapple gun. This thing would surly come in handy later.

You took the gun from your backpack and aimed it at the second story rail. Before you could shoot it, you felt your phone vibrate in your back pocket. Should you read it? Probably not. Would you? Yes.

It was a message from Gladio, _'Hey, I noticed that you've been really distant lately. Can we talk?'_

Nope, you shouldn't have read it. Guilty, guilty, guilty. You shouldn't have felt that way considering you did nothing wrong, but you did. You'd give him the talk he deserved, but perhaps not right this minute. Right now you needed to train.

You went back and pointed the gun at the rail. Pulling the trigger, it latched onto its designated area and pulled you up with its wire. It wasn't your first rodeo, but it wasn't as easy to use as they made it look on television. As the wire pulled you in, you had to rely solely on grip strength. If you let go, you'd be hitting the ground with brute force.

The grapple was quick, so you didn't have to suffer for too long. However, your landing could use some work. You flew straight into the rail, knocking the wind right out of you. Hey, that's what you were here for though. To get better, and to make a certain someone proud next time they saw you.

You felt like it was a sign of some sort. You didn't know what it meant, but definitely a sign. You climbed over the rail and pointed the gun once more at one of the hanging pipes. Shooting it, you hung on and lowered yourself back to the ground.

This was going to be a hard training day, but also a perfect one. Your head was not in the right place, and you needed to learn how to focus despite all of that. These distractions would happen, but you had to fight through them.

The hours flew by, and you felt more confident in your skills than you originally did. You got a lot of your frustrations out as well, and that was the reason you originally came. Lying on the floor with your limbs spread in each direction, you tiredly looked at your phone. Four hours had passed. You were pretty much certain everyone was at Noct's right now. Should you go? If you did you'd have to make a decision right then and there who you'd pursue.

There was no way you could hang out with this group and balance two of the men in it. That wasn't fair. One of them had to be let loose. There was Gladio, the one you spent the least amount of time with, but when you did every second counted. Then there was Ignis, the one you spent the most time with, but you'd never been intimate with.

This didn't seem fair, but it needed to be done. You would clean up and go to Noct's apartment to watch the ball drop. There you would pull one of them to the side and tell them this could no longer continue. You knew which one you'd keep around, because it felt right, so that meant that it must be the right thing to do.

You raised your worn, sweaty body from the ground and looked at your phone once more. There was an unread text from Ignis. It wasn't from today, but from a few days ago. You'd been avoiding it because you didn't even want to know what it said. This message could sway you one way or another. You took a deep breath before reading it.

 _'I want to apologize for the other night. I just wanted to remind you of your self-worth, but I suppose in doing so I just created complications where there were none. If you want to eschew the rest of your cooking lessons on my behalf I completely understand. However, I would like to apologize in person some time.'_

Oh great! This text just made you feel even worse! It wasn't his fault, and truth be told, it wasn't Noct's fault either. And even though it wasn't, you felt like it was all your fault. If you just toned down your flirting some, this situation might not even be. Everything was fine when all you did was paint Noctis and Prompto's nails, and did their hair. Now here you were in this ring of hell trying to escape.

 _'Meet me at Maple Leaf Garden in an hour.'_ You texted back. This would be difficult, but hell, it needed to be done.

.

 **Maple Leaf Garden : 10:12pm : 166 days**

This was a park you often came to with Prompto. The two of you enjoyed this place a lot, especially during Spring when the flowers grew back, and the colors were all bright. There were countless times that you two sat on the bench that partially overlooked the city and just watched the sun go down. Maybe now it was time to make a different memory on that bench.

You made a quick pit stop at home before you got here, that way you wouldn't smell like pure sweat when you came to this meeting. It was cold outside, and a part of you wanted to rush this because the snow was beginning to fall again. Your head turned as you saw Ignis take a seat beside you on the bench.

He gave you a very minute smile, "Hello."

"Hi." You waved.

Silence consumed the space all around you, and during a time like New Year's Eve, that was rare. As beautiful as this park was, it was nowhere near where the ball would be dropped, so it remained empty during this holiday.

"I'm sorry." The blond started.

"Don't be." Your eyes made contact with his. "Don't ever be sorry for how you feel."

"A line was crossed, and I know that."

You looked around as if you'd lost something, "What line, Ignis? It wasn't like you professed your love to me. You just said that I was appealing, and that I was worth a damn. I think the same thing about you, and Noctis, and Prompto."

You looked down and began to dig your thumb into the back of your hand. The nervous tick was back.

"If anyone crossed the line, it was me because I considered taking our friendship further, and I know that's not even what you were getting at. You knew that I had some demons within myself that I was battling. Your words helped me, and I needed to hear them."

This was your way of letting him off the hook. You'd take full responsibility, and by doing such, relieve him of any guilt. There was no doubt that if Ignis approached you sooner you would have pursued him, but he unfortunately struck while the iron was cold.

"It shouldn't have crossed my mind, and I was wrong for that." Your head lifted back up in a confident manner, "Whoever gets you is going to be really lucky."

He wanted to take responsibility, but he knew what you were doing. He knew that you taking the burden for everything was in essence, your own way of clearing your conscience, and he wouldn't take that from you.

"Gladio is lucky to have you. He deserves you." He nodded with a balmy smile.

"I hope he feels that way too." You stood up from the bench and dusted the light snow off your ripped black jeans. "Come on! We don't want to miss the ball dropping, now do we?"

Your peppiness kicked right back in within the drop of a hat, "We still owe Noct and Prompto a rematch in Smash Bros! Prompto's gonna try to convince you to be on their team, but I don't think you should. Also, what are we making for lunch tomorrow? I'm thinking something with a lot of vegetables. Also, also, I left my clothes in your car. Kinda gonna need those back."

It was best for you to fall back into your normal dynamic. You didn't want to drag out the awkwardness. There was no need for it. Still you wondered how things would be if Ignis approached you first..

.

 **Apartment : 10:35pm : 166 days**

You and Ignis entered together as the boys all sat on the couch playing Mario Kart.

"Aw, you started without me?!" You pouted as you entered the room.

The prince rose his eyebrows as he was shocked by your arrival, "You came. Is, everything alright?"

"Yeah, of course." You reassured him with a nod and grin.

"Hey." Gladio's focus was taken away from the game and onto you. "Can we..."

"Yeah. Come on." You waved him over to the guest room.

Gladio handed his controller over to Ignis, "Take over for me while I'm gone."

You couldn't help but snicker as you knew the blond man would crumble all of Gladio's hard work in the game. He was genuinely the worst Mario Kart player you'd ever seen.

Just as you were turning around, you saw Prompto motion to you his finger going in and out of his almost closed fist. Again, he was not subtle, and it was a nightmare. You flipped him off and shook your head just before entering the next room.

As you closed the door you could hear Prompto's voice fade out, "They're totally gonna ban-"

"Do you not want to be with me?"

Whoa! He just came right out and asked. You weren't expecting that one.

"Gladiolus Amicitia. Are you being serious?" Your eyebrows came down to a furrow.

"You haven't replied to any of my texts except when you cancelled our plans to hang out. So what's up with that?"

Dammit, there was the guilt rising from the surface again. If only you could reverse time and get a ride from Gladio instead. That wouldn't have mattered anyway though. You would still want to get to the root of why Ignis bought the cuff, so that conversation would be inevitable.

"I'm not going to lie to you." You took a seat on the bed. "I started to get cold feet because we aren't official. So I was weighing my options and seeing if I truly did want to be in this. I was approached by another man, and I considered it. Nothing happened, because what it came down to was this; I want to start something with you."

Your head lowered from the shame of it. You wouldn't tell him that the option you were weighing was Ignis, but you didn't lie. Honesty was where you'd go with this. You figured he should have the final say in what direction this went, respectfully.

"If you don't want to pursue me anymore, I understand. I won't make it awkward for you whenever we all hang out again."

"This other guy..." Gladio's voice didn't seem disappointed, nor angry. It was just neutral. "Are you sure you don't want to be with him?"

You nodded your head, "I'm positive. He's great, but, for someone else." You looked into the eyes of the man before you, "I like to take pride in tearing down a person's walls... but, someone who can tear down my own... that can't be replicated. You, can't be replicated."

You were surprised that he wasn't angry with you. Maybe it was because of your honesty. Maybe it was because you only thought of this as friends with benefits, so technically seeking another man wasn't cheating. Maybe he was actually hurt and wouldn't show it. You hoped it wasn't the last one.

It was quiet in the room. Both of you just sat there and reflected on the exchange you just had.

"Wait, so we're not official?" Gladio broke the silence.

You played coy with your hands placed politely in your lap, "Well, you never asked me."

"Damn you're old school girl. I have to come right out and ask for you to know we're together? I thought these things were kind of obvious. Shit, you met my family."

Okay, now you were not only feeling guilty for considering walking away from this relationship, but you were also feeling some butterflies getting ready to flutter in a swarm throughout the pit of your stomach.

"Wait, so, you're my boyfriend?" Your eyes widened.

"You tell me." He took a seat on the bed next to you and his weight pulled you into him like a gravity simulation.

"Then why didn't you ever take me on a second date, and why didn't you kiss me on Christmas?" Your arms crossed like a pouty child.

"I tried, remember? You cancelled. Also, I'm not kissing you in front of my baby sister."

You stood up from the bed and faced him so that you were now standing between his legs. "You embarrassed to kiss me in front of your family?"

He pulled your arms down and placed them around his neck. His hands reached for your thighs and he hoisted you up as he stood from the bed. Your legs wrapped around him as he leaned in for a kiss. Were you deserving of such a kiss? Even if you weren't, you were going to keep pecking away until felt like you were.

He'd pin you to the wall behind you and move his hands from your thighs to your butt. He'd squeeze with his big hands cupped around you just to get your blood flowing. You squealed just a bit as it was unexpected.

Your hands ran up the sides of his face and into his hair where you'd pull at the roots. Tilting his head back with the control you had, you released once his Adam's apple was exposed to you.

Your tongue ran across the bump just slightly. You came back for another but dragged this one out. Your head dipped back a third time as you sucked on his tender flesh. You could not only hear, but feel his low moans vibrate as they rolled from his throat. Your hands ran down the sides of his face and placed a thumb under each side of his jaw to maintain stability.

He'd shift so your weight was balanced between the wall and his left hand. His right began to slither its way up your shirt, taking its time to smooth over your curves. Just a fingertip away from your breast and...

Swiftly you pulled back as you heard a knock on the door. Oh right, you forgot. This wasn't either one of your house's, and you should probably not be doing this right now. You slid down out of his grasp and wiped your mouth.

You didn't ask who it was this time, but instead just answer the door. It was Prompto, great.

"We need you guys to settle a debate."

"Sure." You replied a bit annoyed.

Before walking out of the room, you pulled the scarf from your neck and threw it around Gladio's. Oh hell no. You were not letting him walk out of that room with a fresh hickey made by yours truly. He didn't mind sporting it, but he wasn't gonna have the final say so in this.

Not only that, you didn't want to rub this relationship in Ignis' face so soon. Maybe he wouldn't care, but you'd still take his feelings into consideration.

"What is this insane debate that you need me and Gladio to solve?" You plopped on the couch beside Noct and Ignis.

"That was my seat!" Prompto puffed out his little freckled cheeks.

"Do you want me to help settle this or not?" You shrugged with wide eyes.

The prince turned to face you, "Do you guys want to stay in this nice warm apartment where there's food and games and not a thousand other people?"

The blond boy snatched the remote off the couch and changed the channel to the news. "Or would you rather be down there with the rest of the city and watch the ball drop in person? Fireworks, people, music, excitement!"

You put a disappointed hand to your face, "Let's be honest here. Prompto, you're a thirsty asshole who only wants to go down there so you can find some stranger to kiss when the clock strikes 12. Noctis, you're a lazy piece of shit."

"True." Both Prompto and Noctis replied in unison.

"Ignis, where do you stand on this?" Your attention turned to the man.

"Indoors. For safety purposes."

You thought about it for a moment. What would you want to do? You could always just stay here and watch the ball drop on television. It would be you and your best friends sitting together, eating, drinking, and playing video games. Clinking your glasses and toasting to the new year.

The other option was being out in the crowd. In the falling snow surrounded by strangers with sparklers and crazy costumes. Receiving your new year's kiss in the presence of a rowdy crowd. Again, it came down to one thing; memories you needed to collect. When the time came you'd need a memoir of things that would keep you motivated. The decision was easy, really.

"Grab your jackets boys! We're going down!" You stood up proudly from the couch.

"Um, Gladio still needs to vote." The fussy prince quickly burst your little happy bubble.

You looked at the man with that infamous sad puppy face. It was so sickening how often that face worked on people. Your hands curled under your chin, and you were literally pleading through pure facial expressions. Why was he taking so long? Just pick already!

"Stop doing that!" Noctis yelled at you. "That's cheating!"

"No it isn't!" Prompto came to your defense, "No one said persuading the voters was against the rules!"

Your face fell flat you stared at Gladio's contemplating self. "I don't care what you pick, I'm going down there anyway!"

"M'lady has spoken." The big man rose his eyebrows.

The prince sunk more into the couch with his arms crossed. "This is so stupid..."

.

 **Downtown : 11:52pm : 166 days**

You stood in the middle of a crowded city. People were cheering, sparklers were lit, and it was as lively as you expected it to be. Gladio towered over the crowd, and you were sort of falling back into it. You could see the New Year's Ball, but being a little closer wouldn't hurt.

Looking back he noticed that you were getting lost in the mob of people. He stopped and waited for you to catch up. You looked totally disheveled as you did. He offered you his hand, and you did not refuse. You crossed your fingers with his, and damn those butterflies. Every time you thought they were gone, they came right back with brute force.

He stopped once you two got close enough. The other boys weren't too far behind, but it'd take them a moment to catch up. Your hand remained in his as you stood beside him. It was at this time that you realized what a fool you would have been to let him go. Were you in love with him? Maybe not yet. Could see yourself falling in love with him? Yes, and that's what made all the difference.

"This feels right." Your low voice was drowned out by the yells of the crowd.

You turned around and saw the other boys standing anxiously in the mob as they waited for the ball to drop. One minute left.

With your free hand you tapped the shoulder of a girl and her friends in front of you. You waved them closer and whispered something to them. What were you up to? Obviously something devious from that Grinch-like smile.

The time counted down, and you turned to face Gladio. Five... Four... Three... Two... One...

He leaned into you and you did the same. You stood on your toes and pressed your lips against his. You opened one eye just briefly to see that girl and her friends give kisses to Noctis, Prompto, and Ignis. Their reactions were priceless. It was worth coming down here, that was for sure.

You pulled away from the big man and smiled fondly at him. "New Year's Resolution: Be a much better girlfriend. You?"

He pet your hair as he spoke to you, "New Year's Resolution: Make more time for my girlfriend. How's that?"

You grabbed the man's collar and pulled him into another kiss, "Perfect."


	12. Adventure Hell

**Insomnia Luxury Spa & Resort : 9:10pm : 162 days**

"Wait, so Gladio is your boyfriend? I thought you guys were just casually... you know?"

You sat beside Prompto inside the sweltering sauna. You needed a break from life, and did so by taking a nice relaxing vacation for a couple days. You felt as though you and Prompto hadn't hung out one on one in a long while, so you invited him along.

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you or Noct. I knew you'd poke fun of me." You stood up briefly and rewrapped your towel.

"Oh, come on. It's all out of love." The small boy scooted closer to you. His elbow lightly nudged at your arm. "So The Great Anak finally found an even greater anak."

You slouch back so your back pressed against the wet panels behind you. "Shut up Prompto. And when are you gonna stop calling me that?"

"Never." His eyes directed downward and then back up to you, "I'm so excited for Adventure Park tomorrow!"

Adventure Park was a popular theme park in Insomnia. Roller coasters, games, over priced food, the works. Now was the perfect time to go because it was right after the holidays. The lines would be virtually non-existent.

"Me too! I can't wait!" You perked back up. "We've gotta get on every ride twice."

"Mhm!" Prompto nodded dramatically. "The lines are gonna be so short we could probably fit in a third time!"

You were trying to hit the sauna to clense your body before you went to bed, but you probably wouldn't be getting that much sleep after Prompto hyped you up. You were all rattled for the day you had coming up.

Your steam covered hand tapped Prompto's leg. "Let's get going. We don't want to be sleepy tomorrow. Ugh! This is going to be so fun!"

.

 **Adventure Park : 9:45am : 161 days**

"This is going to be so lame." Noctis stood at the front gate of the theme park. Somehow you guys dragged him out of bed and into the world at this hour.

It was you, Noct, Prompto, Ignis, Gladio, and Iris. Needless to say, you took two cars getting here. Gladio knew how much his sister would love this place, so he let her tag along today. That was fine with you guys. She wouldn't slow you down any, although her being here meant that you'd be getting like zero kisses.

"We should just turn around go back home." The prince fussed.

Normally this was a time for people to be gone and crowds to cease. Not today. No. Today you were in the middle of a swarm. It was absolutely packed. Forget riding everything twice, you'd be lucky to get on half the rides once.

"What a freaking circus!" You barked in agreement to the prince.

"Then what should we do?" Prompto anxiously looked at the group.

"Paintball?" Noctis threw out an idea.

"No way. I'm not taking Iris to get shot by rubber paint bullets." Gladio hastily responded.

"I can handle it Gladdy. I'm strong." The young girl looked up at her brother.

"Not gonna happen." He was going to stay firm on this one. He barely wanted her to get on a roller coaster, let alone getting shot at.

"Bowling?" The small blond boy rubbed his chin. "That could be fun."

"Nah. I don't feel like bowling." You shook your head. "Too early."

"Arcade?" Gladio suggested with a hand rubbing his chin.

"It's not open yet." Ignis shook his head. "Perhaps we should just continue with our itinerary for today?"

You all thought about it. Being around such a huge crowd would suck, but you were already here anyway. May as well make the most of it.

"Alright. I agree with Iggy." You advanced toward the ticket booth. "Let's just try to have a good time."

Maybe this was a huge mistake, but you wouldn't know until you tried. There would be no negative tendencies coming from you. At very least you wanted to give this place a shot.

The six of you waited in line to pay for your tickets. If this line was massive, there was no telling how crazy it would be for the rides. After a good 20 minutes you all finally reached the booth to pay.

Why did you even bother reaching for your wallet? Gladiolus was not gonna let you pay. He was so annoying with his gentleman ways.

The six of you finally made it past the front gates and you inhaled deeply as if there were fresher air on this side.

"Picture?" One of the employees approached you.

"Yeah! Guys, lets take a picture!" You excitedly shrieked.

They'd not argue, but begin to pose. Yes, this photo would be one for the books. You couldn't let an opportunity for silliness pass you by.

"I have an idea!" You stared to reposition the boys. "All of you stand in a line and hold me up. Iris, you stand on my back."

Yes, the boys held you as if you were a prized fish caught straight from the ocean. Iris stood atop your back like the proud captain to the vessel and honestly, she wasn't as light as you thought she'd be.

You gave a smile to camera and... was that a hand grouping your chest? Yes, it was. Gladio was gonna slide in a feel somehow now wasn't he?

Cheese! The camera flashed and you were ready to get going.

"What should we do first?" You dusted off your back and looked at the group.

"Let's start with the best. The biggest roller coaster, then we'll go from there." Prompto pointed to the main attraction.

Everyone nodded in agreement. You'd knock out all the good stuff, that way if you missed anything it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Gladio offered you his hand and you were quite surprised. He didn't want to kiss you in front of his sister, but that didn't mean you couldn't show affection. Who were you to decline?

It felt nice to be claimed by undoubtedly the hottest guy here. Oh man were you floating right now.

You looked over to your right at Iris, "So, this is your first time coming here? Are you excited?"

"Yes." She replied hastily.

Strange, but you'd shrug it off for now. Perhaps she was just caught up with all of the colorful sights and yummy smells. That in itself was definitely distracting.

"Gladdy, can I get a piggyback ride?" Iris' adorable brown eyes seriously rivaled that of your sad puppy face. She was good.

You felt his hand release yours and he'd kneel down for his sister to climb atop his back. Well, long lived your sweet moment.

"Is that the line?!" Prompto's poor blue eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

Yes, that long trail of people wrapped around the corner was the line. May as well break out your phones and play King's Knight, because you'd be here a while.

"Iggy, please tell me you brought some snacks with you." You whined to the man as you wanted to eat your way through this boredom.

"I did not. Apologies." The man shook his head.

You moaned just low enough for only the person next to you, Gladio, to hear.

"Tough it out Half-Pint." He took a militant tone with you.

He was right. It sucked, but you were already in line. Didn't make a difference either way you were going to be bored as all hell.

Time passed. A lot of time. Like 2 hours. The 'not really worth it' amout of time. It made no sense considering it was so early, but here you all were. It was fine though, because your turn was next.

The sleek blue ride called for 3 in a row. You pretty much assumed it would be you, Gladio, and Iris. That left the other 3 in the back.

"I want to sit in between Noct and Gladdy." The brunette girl gleefully declared.

"That cool with you?" Gladio faced you.

No actually. It wasn't cool. You wouldn't despute it though. The cars from the last ride were pulling in, and there was no time for conflict. Sandwiched between 2 blond men is where you'd be.

Prompto climbed in first, next was you, and last was Ignis.

You briefly faced the green eyed man. "You having fun yet? I promised I would take you to a theme park and annoy you to death. Am I starting off well?"

Ignis chucked just barely as he removed his glasses. "It's not bad."

"Dammit!" You fictitiously snapped your fingers disappointingly.

You all pulled down your harnesses and strapped in tight for the ride ahead. Prompto was just as ready as you were. In the back of your mind you always had the same thoughts. What if this roller coaster fell apart while you were on it? Chances were low, but still, it crossed your mind.

After checking all of the seats, the attendant fired up the ride and sent you all on your way. There was no build up. Right from the very start you all flew out of there. The wind blew your hair back, and tears welled in your eyes.

You rose your hands and attempted to give a pretty pose for the camera. Man was this group stoic. Not a peep sounded from anyone but Prompto as he joyfully woo hoo'd. Not even Iris screamed. You thought about letting out a huge one just to throw everything off, but you were having too much fun.

Finally the ride came to a stop and you were able to step your dizzy self off. You were so ready to see that picture.

You walked back by the photo booth and took a glance. Oh, it was glorious. Noctis, Gladio, and Iris were 'asleep'. Meanwhile in the back, you and Prompto held your arms up with your wind blown hair. Then there was Ignis with a hand under his chin and...

"Where the hell did you pull sunglasses from?" You looked wide eyed at the man.

"Well..." He shrugged unwilling to reveal his secrets.

You had to buy that one. Both the picture from the front and the ride were compiled on one card. There was an option to buy it online if you so pleased later on.

"Can we do a slower ride next? I need a cool down." You massaged your temple's.

"I want to do another fast one!" Iris shouted out of excitement.

"Let's do it!" Gladio and the others agreed.

Were they being serious? Okay, maybe they didn't hear you. Yeah, that you could let slide.

The time went on and you were able to get through a lot more rides than you thought. The seating was basically the same for almost every ride, and that was sort of starting to bug you. Who the hell died and made Iris queen? One thing was for sure. She was trying to keep you and Gladio apart for whatever reason.

The thing that irritated you most was the fact that Gladio said nothing. He just let it happen. When you wanted to hold his hand, she'd ask for a piggyback ride. When you fixed his hair, she'd suddenly 'trip' and get his attention. When you wanted to stop for food, she wanted to press on. Why was this happening? Your first introduction went well on Christmas, you thought. You were having no more of this.

You were soaking wet from the last ride, and somehow miraculously no one else was. This is why you were never too fond of the water ride here anyway. You didn't want to be a Grinch, but you kind of wanted to go home.

This day was not going according to plan, and before you knew it the sun would set soon. Maybe you should have agreed to paintball. That way this day would have went a lot differently.

You all were next on the tea cup ride. Was this your idea? Absolutely not. In fact, you mentioned a tinge of nausea just before coming here.

Heading on, the seating was Gladio and Iris, Noctis and Prompto, and you and Ignis. You didn't complain this time because you knew Ignis wouldn't vigorously turn the cup.

"I don't mean to ruin your experience, but if you want to turn this, can you do it lightly?" You held your stomach as you sat.

"I have no intention of turning it at all. Are you alright?" Ignis took notice of your sick looking face.

"Yeah. I just need something to eat I think. I can't tell if I'm hungry or getting ready to vomit. Or both."

Yeah, that was troubling. Feeling that bad on a ride like this was not a good idea. He was not going to let you go through with this.

"Let's get off before it starts." Ignis stood up and opened the door.

You were in no position to refuse, so you didn't. You hobbled off the ride and over to the sidelines.

"I'm really sorry Iggy." You began to work up a cold sweat as you saw the ride start up.

"No problem. Let me go get you some gingle ale." He started to head away.

"No, no. It's fine." You pulled him back over to you. "I can wait until the ride is over."

You'd occasionally glance up to see Noctis and Prompto going absolutely ham. They spun the tea cup like the mad men they were. Gladio and Iris on the other hand did a moderate pace. It was actually really sweet to see them interact. Well, it would be cuter if she hadn't been so in the way today.

"I shouldn't have gone on all those fast rides at once." You put a hand over your mouth. "I don't feel so good."

Your knees began to get wobbly, and even the cool weather offered no relief. Your hands cleanched to the fence as you attempted not to fall down.

"Whoa there." Ignis grabbed you before you could fall.

He carried you bridal style in his arms, and honestly, you didn't even know he was that strong.

"Careful, careful. I got you." He brought you to a nearby bench and sat you down.

"I'm good." You gave a lethargic thumbs up. "I just need something to eat, I think."

He was hesitant to walk away from you, but you seriously needed food.

"I'll be just a moment." Ignis walked quickly over to a nearby booth to buy you some food and drink.

You didn't eat or drink anything all day, ans barely the day prior. That combined with all this cardio, and riding on roller coasters was not healthy. It made you feel like you needed to vomit even though there was nothing to vomit.

"Here. This should settle you for the moment." He handed you a sports drink and lightly salted pretzel.

"Thanks Iggy. You're too good to me." You took the food and inhaled it in an instant. You swear you ate that thing in two bites.

Your eyes amplified as you turned to Ignis, "I'm so sorry! I didn't offer you any!"

"It was for you. I didn't want any. It would be best if you got a little more in you though."

He was right. This was a good snack, but now was the time to eat. You saw the rest of the group laugh and dizzily wobble away from the ride. All day no one let you decide anything, you knew you had to be firm on this one.

"Okay, well I'm hungry right now, so I'm going to get something to eat and I don't care what anyone has to say." You stopped in the middle of the bustling crowd as you barked at the group.

"Geez squirt. You mad about something?" Noct frowned as he looked at you.

"I'm just hungry, okay? Now I'm going to buy a pizza that's over priced and underwhelming. Whoever wants to come, go for it. Whoever wants to slither on to the next ride, I don't really care." Damn your poker face crumbled right before their very eyes.

You walked away and didn't give a second thought to who would join you and who wouldn't.

The small brunette girl looked up at her brother. "I'm not really hungry Gladdy. Let's go on the next ride!"

The big man thought to himself a moment. "We should probably eat now. It's been a few hours. Then we can go back to the rides, okay?"

"Okay, but can we get burgers instead?" She tugged on his sleeve.

You honestly didn't give a damn what they were doing. You were going to get pizza, and no one was stopping you from that. You walked away in the middle of their decision making, and part of you wondered if they were following behind or not.

Prompto ran to your side as you stood in line. "Hey, you okay? You seem, I dunno, mad."

"Where is everyone?" You looked around.

"They went to get burgers." His eyes narrowed as he repeated himself. "Are you alright?"

Apparently the group was divided. You and Prompto would be getting pizza, while everyone else got burgers. That annoyed you to high heaven. So yes, his analysis was correct. You were mad.

"No Prompto, I'm not alright. Why the hell did he have to bring his little sister anyway? Ughh, she's trying to get under my skin and Gladiolus is just going along with this shit like it's okay."

"You think Iris is trying to annoy you on purpose? She's a total sweethear-" He cut his thought short as you have him a death glare.

"Know what? I just realized, I'm in the mood for ice cream now. Come on."

Oh he knew that look. You were definitely up to something. You were choosing ice cream instead of food? That was suspicious as hell. What were you getting ready to do?

Your whole demanor changed. It was like you found a new peace, and oh how it was nice.

You pranced your way to the ice cream vendor.

"Can I get the strawberry mango ice cream cone?" You turned to the blond boy beside you, "What do you want?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "I'm gonna grab a burger with everyone else. You gonna be okay?"

"Of course." You reassured him with a smile. "I'll be over there in a second. Go eat."

You handed the vendor your card and with that you were on your way. You ripped open the wrapping and began to indulge. Your eyes caught that of the group, and this was the perfect time to put your plan into action.

You walked so you were in the direct eye line of their table. It was enough so they could see you, but far away enough for you to look innocent.

You walked to a planter and stood beside a man eating ice cream as well.

"Good to know I'm not the only freak who eats ice cream in 40 degree weather." You chuckled as you moved your loose hairs behind your ear.

The young man shook his head, "Nothing strange about this at all. You come here alone? That's pretty bold."

Right in your peripheral you could see Gladio taking notice of you. Now was the perfect time to strike.

Your hand lightly touched his arm, "Well, bold is what they call me." You took a long lick of your ice cream. "But no. I came with a group. However, they're a little preoccupied right now. I know this is strange to ask, but my boyfriend has been very distant all day. Do you mind if we get him just a little riled up?"

You'd not point, but nod in his direction. "He's the scrawny little blond one. Don't worry. He won't do anything."

So it was a little white lie. If you said your man was the obvious giant behemoth this guy would probably back out. Prompto had the least threatening face, so you just said him.

"Uh, sure I guess?" It was a strange request, but he'd not decline.

All was going according to plan. If Gladio was going to forget you existed, you'd be there to remind him of what he was missing.

Your hand reached in the boy's brown hair and pulled out a small bit of debris. "Sorry. I don't want you to feel weird, but it has been such an annoying day."

You went in again on the ice cream as your full attention turned to this stranger. "I don't mean to lay all of my problems on you, but he's been so neglectful. Is he looking?

"It's cool. No, but the brown haired guy next to him is."

You couldn't help but smile as he was wrapped around your finger. With one final hoorah, you gave the boy a flirtatious wave goodbye.

"Thanks. That should be good enough. Nice talking to you." You merrily skipped back to the table where your friends were.

Gladio was staring boldly at you. Normally he would keep up his poker face, but this time he wasn't going to. It was because you acted as though it was unintentional.

"Hey guys." You squeezed in next to Noctis, innocently licking the melted ice cream from your fingers.

The big man's amber eyes were locked on you. But as far as you were concerned, if he was upset that was on him.

"Let's talk." His voice was reserved, but his body language spoke volumes.

"What about? We can talk here, yeah?" You bit into the cone and looked guiltless in your eyes.

The brunette man stood from the table and waved you over. "We're gonna be right back. Excuse us for a moment."

He walked until he was out of ear shot of the group. You didn't keep up this facade any longer. You wanted him to know exactly how you felt.

"Oh, so you finally noticed me Sweet Pea?" You sardonically spew as your eyes roll.

"What are you talking about?"

"Barely a week into the new year and already you're breaking your resolution?" You finshed off the rest of your ice cream cone and licked your fingers nonchalantly.

He was taken aback by your words. You didn't want to specifically say that it was Iris bothering you, but hopefully he'd catch on.

"You think I've been neglecting you?" His hand lifted your chin so you'd look at him.

"All day I've suggested things and they've been overruled. Guess it was foolish of me to expect you to have my back." You pushed away his hand.

Okay, now you were just going from one issue to the other. But you were upset dammit! He needed to hear this.

"I'm sorry, okay?" His eyes displayed truth behind his words. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to juggle a lot at once. I'll pay more attention to you."

"I know you are. I'm not a very needy person Gladio. You know that. I just need a little more than you're giving me."

"Okay." He'd nod, "What next? It's your turn to pick. Anything."

"The day is practically over now. Make it up to me another time." You rose a sassy eyebrow.

He grabbed your waist and pulled you in close. His hands dipped a bit too low for public viewing. "You're lucky we're not at home or I'd make it up to you right now."

It was funny hearing him say that. Your relationship was based a lot on the physical, but you still have yet to go past second base. He was taking it nice and slow with you, and it was exactly what you needed. No reason to rush things.

He moved you in even closer and growled in your ear. "You weren't slick with that ice cream cone. Definitely gonna have to get you back for that."

"I'd like to see you try." You pulled away from his grasp and headed back to the table.

"Hey." He called out to you.

"Hm?"

"In three days I'm taking you on that second date; be ready. It's long overdue. Make sure you have something fancy."

"Ooh, something fancy?" You put a cutesy finger to your lips. "Someone's obviously put a lot of thought into this. Lounge room fancy or gala fancy?"

"Gala fancy." He'd grin something sinister.

Gala fancy, you thought? That was pretty damn fancy. What was he planning, or already planned, rather?

Squeezing back in next to Noct, you leaned over with your head on the boy's shoulder. "This has been a time."

"Squiiiirt?" He spoke suspiciously. "You only say that when you didn't have a good time." Noctis gave you a pat on the head.

"I mean, I had a time. It is what it is." You took a long sigh. "Let's watch the fireworks before we go."

It was briefly silent, and surprisingly no objections. It was settled then. The day would end under a faded sky right below the fireworks. Kind of like New Years again.

"Fireworks! Fireworks!" Prompto chanted. "Let's get a good spot!"

After finishing up their food, you all moved to an open area where the fireworks show would take place. There were chairs set up for those in front. For those in back, was a standing area. Luckily you were all quick enough to get some seats.

This time you sat between Ignis and Gladio. There was something poetic about it. Poetic, and ironic. Man this day truly turned out to be everything except what you thought it would be. You were still a bit unsettled by Iris. Was she doing things on purpose, or was she just truly oblivious? She really did seem like a sweetheart as Prompto said, but then again, that's when you were introduced to her as Gladio's friend.

Aha! That's what it must have been. An overprotective sister just looking out for her big bro. Was that also the reason he didn't want to kiss you in front of her? Well, like it or not, you were here to stay. You weren't going to compete with her, but you damn sure weren't going to lose either.

Your head lifted just as the first firework set off. You were like a child at their first parade. Eyes wide, jaw hung, and pricelessly shocked. Glitters of white burst in the sky, and it always felt like the first time.

"Ooh, ohh, look!" You grabbed the pant leg of each man sitting next to you.

In all honesty you probably grabbed a bit of Gladio's skin while you were at it, but he didn't care. You were so happy, and he didn't want to disturb you from your moment.

Your heart was sent aflutter with each burst of light. So many colors, so many patterns, and so many shapes. Sitting on the edge of your seat was no longer a metaphor. You were really doing it!

"You're so nauseating." The large brunette man stared at you.

In fact, ever since the first firework let loose he did nothing but stare at you. You didn't know it though. You were too preoccupied with the brilliant lights.

"What?" You tilted your head.

"Too damn cute."

You swear you felt your cheeks warm from the blood rushing to them. Wasn't the first time he said sweet words to you, but it was just the way he said it. As if he truly meant it.

"Stop it. I'm literally going to turn into a tomato after this!" You held your cheeks and pouted your lips.

Prompto leaned out to catch your eye line as his singing voice gained volume. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes-"

"My fist down your throat if you don't stop singing!" You growled before he could finish.

Yes, let it not be forgotten that there was a surplus of texts from Prompto about this. Even some from Noctis. It was strange for the boys, especially the prince. They never saw you actually like anyone before. Maybe you'd say someone was attractive, but even that was rare. It wasn't because you didn't feel like you couldn't have 'girl talk' with them, because of course you could and do. It was really just something you never brought up.

"Just telling it like it is." Prompto smugly grinned.

"Kiss my ass Prompto, okay?" You couldn't hold back your laughter.

"Sure, I'll kiss my na-"

"Nap time?! I-is that what you were going to say?! I totally agree with you! I'm getting sleepy. We should probably go home now." You voice was frantic.

Yeah, about that tattoo... You sort of kind of never wanted Gladio to find out that you had Prompto's name in permanent ink on your ass cheek. Whatever you had to do to keep him in ignorance, you would.

"I agree. Time for sleep." Noctis stretched out his arms.

"This has been fun." Ignis smiled as you all stood up and made way for the parking lot.

.

 **Home : 9:34pm : 161 days**

You sat in the passenger's seat, per usual. Gladio was driving, and Iris was asleep in the back seat. You were parked right outside of your home. Technically you were still checked into the spa resort, but maybe you needed to be home right about now.

You unbuckled your seat belt and headed toward your door. Gladio followed closely behind and walked you there.

Before putting your key in the door, you turned to the man and wrapped your arms around him. He did the same, and he was just so warm. You felt like you could seriously stay wrapped up in his embrace all night, but you couldn't. It was time to go to sleep.

The amber eyed man took a glance at your front door. "I don't know what you're hiding in there, but I'm gonna go in eventually. You know that right?"

A slight chuckle breathily bellowed from your throat. "Well, we'll see how good that second date goes, and maybe I'll personally invite you in."

You tilted your head back and he'd grant you the kiss you longed for. His lips were cold from the weather, but soft no doubt. He lingered a moment before pulling away, and you'd get in just one last peck before allowing him to do so.

"Only if you're a good boy though." Your hand reached inside your bag for the door key. "Can't allow naughty boys into my home. Just wouldn't be right."

His teeth gently bit his bottom lip, "If that's what it takes then I might not ever be invited in."

"I know." You winked as you opened the door and slowly disappeared into your house. "I'm counting on it."


	13. Confessions

**Home : 4:45pm : 159 days**

Where you lay was on the cushy couch in your living room. Limbs sprawled every which way, lazily watching cartoons, and one hand slightly tucked into the waistband of your light gray sweats. Benedict was on the floor before you just sleeping away. It was days like this that made life worth living sometimes. Nothing to do, and no responsibilities.

The only problem was the unease you felt here. If only you could rid yourself of that, then all would be well. You told Gladio there was a possibility that you would invite him in after your date. There was no way that'd happen with you feeling like this.

Your back lifted from the couch and you placed your pink fuzzy sock covered feet on the ground. You headed to the back room, and as always the floor creaked to your every step.

Opening your door, you looked at the showcase wielding the greatsword. You pulled the cloth off and looked at the mesmerizing blade. You lifted the top and grunted from the heaviness.

You pulled the sword from the case, and the weight was enough for your arm to drop. It didn't hit the floor. That much you had control over, because its sharpness was enough to go straight through and you weren't going to let that happen.

You had to get rid of this thing. If not completely, you just wanted it out of your sight. Carefully you wrapped it up in the red duvet and lifted one of the floorboards beneath your feet. Setting it inside you felt like a weight had been lifted. Not completely, but enough.

You sighed in relief and for the first time in a long time while in this house a genuine smile stretched across your face.

Like a deer in headlights, you froze. Your phone vibrated from the living room on the hardwood floor. Startling.

You rose up and began to walk back out. It buzzed 3 times before it stopped. Prompto? What did he want?

'Wanna hang? Let's go to the arcade or something?'

This was the perfect time to test the waters. None of your friends had ever been to your house, and Prompto would be a fitting first guest.

You typed out your message, 'Yeah. Let's chill at my place.'

You hesitated before sending it. It felt as if your hand hovered over the send button for ages, but it needed to be done. You had to learn to get past this hump. Your thumb pushed down and off it went.

An immediate reply, 'I don't know where you live.'

Oh, that's right. He had no clue where you rested your head at night. You sent over your address, and now all you had to do was wait. He was the least judgmental of the four, but you still wondered if he would. Did you have to give him a FULL tour? Man, you were seriously starting to regret this.

'Be there in 20!'

Should you clean? Should you set out some food? How did this even work anyway? Prompto wasn't too needy about things like that. If anything you could just order out.

You watched your television again, and your hand came up to fidget with the bangle around your arm that Ignis bought you. Ever since you got it you wore it. There was something about expensive jewelry that you felt obligated to wear.

It'd been a while since Christmas, but you still thought about that day. A lot happened, and a lot got swept under the rug in a sense. Everyday it seemed like the weight of your world got heavier and heavier. These simple problems would soon be a thing of the past.

Okay, maybe you should order out just to stop thinking so much. You searched your contact list for the best pizza place and dialed. Yes, you did have a list of fast food numbers in your phone, because desperate times! Also, you quite enjoyed being the friend who always knew the best places to eat.

The conversation with the employee on the other line was quick. Prompto was no Noctis. He'd be down to eat whatever, so that's what you ordered. Shouldn't take too long. 30 minutes or so.

You'd take a seat on your couch once more and look through your phone. There was still a missed message you forgot to read from Gladio. 'What are you up to baby doll?'

Baby doll, hmph. You thought that'd be a one time nickname, but no. It totally became a thing, and it made you blush every damn time.

You'd get around to replying, but for right now, you'd nervously wait for Prompto to show up. You got up once more and picked up the large bag of dog chow in the corner. Of course it would be practical for you to have some kind of scooper to get the food out, but you never got around to it yet.

You waddled over to Benedict's bowl and struggled to pour her food out. It was so heavy. As many times as you did this you should be used to it.

Hastily your head rose as you heard the doorbell ring. Ready or not, here he was. You dragged the food back into the corner, and dusted yourself off. You straightened out your white t-shirt, and adjusted the draw string of your baggy sweatpants.

You looked through the peephole for a good 20 seconds before unlocking your door. Moment of truth.

You cracked open the door and there was the blond boy smiling and jovial as ever.

"For a second I thought you were gone." He entered your house so casually. Like it was nothing.

"Yeah, well I was just putting my dogs heavy food back in the corner. It's really weighty you know!"

You backed away and opened your wingspan, "Well, welcome to my very humble abode." You pointed in each direction as you spoke. "Kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom. Ta-da!"

He set his shoes aside and put a hand on each hip, "What? No tour?"

You paused in hesitation. Maybe if you made it quick it wouldn't be that bad.

"Okay. Come on." You grabbed his arm and dragged him to the kitchen.

Very modest. Small counter, stainless steel appliances, and a small 2 seater table in the corner. White cabinets and nothing to blink twice at.

"Kitchen where I cook." You gestured and pulled him away.

From here you headed to your room in the back. You opened the door and saw that the floorboard was slightly tilted upwards. Of all people Prompto would question it the least, but still, there was that feeling of unease.

"Bedroom where I sleep." You opened the door connected to your room, "Bathroom where I bathe."

"What's theshowcase for?" He questioningly rubbed his chin. "I meant the empty one. Not the one wth the arrows."

"I know what you meant, and it's for my bow. I'm getting it serviced right now though." Quick thinking.

Putting a hand on each shoulder you pushed him quickly out. "Okay, whelp, that concludes our tour. Alright, that was fun, huh? Let's go back to the living room."

"W-wait! But what about those two rooms?" He looked back at you as you continued to woosh him away.

"They stay closed at all times. Not my room, so I can't show you."

It was weird hearing you say that. Your claim to the rooms was so distant. It was like a whole different house rather than rooms. He'd respect it though. For all he knew they could belong to your distant parents.

"So, you ready for some prime time television?" You sat on the couch and patted the cushion beside yourself.

He took the seat and looked at you, "You know, a relationship looks good on you. You seem happier nowadays."

"Ew, you're starting off with that Prompt?" You pushed his face away. "What about you? Did dream girl ever accept your apology for the Winter Formal?"

"Nah." He shook his head, "But school starts back up soon, so there's always time."

You grabbed the remote that was tucked away in between the couch cushions and turned up the T.V. Nothing good was ever on at this time, so you'd just settle for cartoons. So typical.

"I'll be right back." You got up from the couch and walked back into your kitchen.

You opened one of the drawers and pulled out a bottle of black nail polish. As for why there was nail polish in a kitchen drawer was neither her nor there. Hell, there were two rooms that never opened, and a greatsword lying underneath one of your floorboards. More bizarre things have happened.

"Time for me to make you the badass you deserve to be!" You rattled around the small container.

"Yes!" The blond was so pumped for this, especially since last time you made his nails pink.

Using your teeth, you pried the bottle open and took his left hand into yours. You started with a thin top coat, and as you did, your mind started to slip. You thought about how he said a relationship looked good on you, and while you agreed, there was something still bothering you.

"Prompto..." You continued to paint, but your words slowed. "Can I tell you something? Like, something really private that needs to stay strictly between us?"

Interesting. You often used him as a confidant, but you generally expressed that later on Noctis would find out. This time you just wanted it to be the two of you. No one else needed to ever hear what you were getting ready to tell him. As much as he could be a blabbermouth sometimes, he was actually the person you could count on most to keep a secret. Well, depending on what kind of secret.

"What is it? I won't tell. I promise." His blue eyes looked sympathetically into yours.

"Well, it's about this group... There's a lot of stuff I kept you in the dark about." You set his first hand down and picked up the other.

"Honestly this should be a long forgotten issue by now, but I just can't forget it..." You paused on his nails and looked up at him. "On Christmas, two weeks ago... Ignis drove me home, as you know. We chatted for a while in his car, and it led to him basically telling me that he wanted to be with me."

Well, that was nothing too bad right? Noctis already knew that secret, and he told Prompto about it by now. So what was the big deal?

"I found myself caught between a situation of what feels right, and what was the right thing to do."

You weren't expecting this to happen, but your eyes started to water. Why? It wasn't even something that made you truly sad.

"I'm such a shitty person." You breathily spoke. "Anyway, on New Years Eve I told myself I would let one of them off the hook. I had to do what felt right... but I didn't. I went against my better judgement and did the right thing."

You set his other hand down and stared into the boy's eyes. "I planned on turning Gladio down up until the point that the words actually slipped my mouth. It was only when Ignis apologized to me for saying what he said did I change my mind."

Tears rolled down your cheeks, and Prompto was clueless as to why. Wet nails or not, he pulled you into a deep embrace and allowed you to cry in his arms. His chin rested atop your head, and he just held you as you needed to be.

"It's okay to feel how you feel." His hand rubbed your back in gentle circles.

"I chose Gladio because I thought he would be hurt less by my absence. But I didn't realize how much I actually adored him, and cared for him."

"I lo-" You stumbled over your words and restarted, "I chose him, but I don't deserve him."

Your crying intensified and he felt helpless as to console you. Were you crying because you chose Gladio on some bogus whim and it ended up being the choice that felt right? And what did you mean by absence?

"Absence? Where are you going? What do you mean?"

This was the segway into the true conversation that needed to be had. This was what you didn't want to tell Noctis or the others. This was the information that need only stay between the two of you.

"I only have 5 months left." You pulled from his grasp, but his hands still remained on the undersides of your arms. "I'm moving from Insomnia and I don't know if I'll ever see any of you again."

Were you being serious? How long did you know about this? Still you were telling only a half truth. You were going to move from Insomnia, but not in the way he probably thought.

"You will." His hands tightened on your arms, and his eyes began to water as well. "I don't know where you're going, but you will see us again. I promise. Where ever you go Noct and I are never too far behind."

This is not what you invited him over here for, but it was too late now. This conversation needed to be had a long time ago, and if you could at least get a fraction of the worlds weight off your shoulders then it would be all worth it.

"I wish I could speak that confidently about it." Your hands came up to wipe the tears from your eyes. "It's not some simple move where I can just come back and visit on the holidays. This is real. This is forever. I can't come back. Once I'm gone, I'm gone."

His tears fell just as hard as yours, but his face straightened up a bit. One of you needed to remain strong. His hand rose and he wiped the profuse tears from your eyes.

"Tell me... are you going to die?" His lip quivered just slightly as he waited for your answer.

His words shook you from your core. A simple question, but there was no simple answer. Death was an inevitability, but were you being led to yours?

"I don't know." You answered honestly.

The room, even with the television on, was more silent than it'd ever been. Time stopped completely. It was the first time you admitted aloud that you weren't sure about your own fate. Prompto didn't even begin to know what to do with this information.

A knock on the door broke you out of your stand still. You wiped the tears from your eyes and backed away. This conversation was over anyway. At least it was for you.

You moved a piece of hair behind your ear and looked through the peephole. Oh great, it was just the pizza man.

You unlocked the door and put on your best 'no I wasn't just bawling with my best friend' face.

"I've got an extra large sausage pepperoni pizza, a large brownie, and breadsticks for a miss-"

"Yes, that's me." You swiftly cut him off. "One second."

You walked back into the kitchen and got money out of the nail polish drawer. Again, strange kitchen.

"Here you go sir. Thank you. Keep the change. Drive safe now."

The two of you did a switch off as he handed you the food and you handed him the money. You closed the door with your foot and set the food down on the coffee table.

Your breath was still stifled from having just cried. "I don't know about you, but I think I'm gonna have some of that brownie first."

He nodded as he opened the box. The two of you grabbed a piece and remained silent. Where did you go from here? What could you even say? Your eyes were directed at the television screen, but you weren't watching. Flashes of color from the television simply grazed over your eyes. You were so senseless right now that you didn't even taste the brownie you were eating.

Minutes turned into more minutes, but not exactly an hour. There was a lot to ponder right now. Time just slipped on by and the two of you let it.

"I won't say anything." The blond started. "But you should." He sniffled just before taking a deep breath. "Just so you know, you do deserve Gladio. You need to tell him eventually though if you really care about him the way you say you do."

His words filled your ears, and your senses came back to you all at once. He was right. You needed to tell them, but only in your own time. Just like you told Prompto in your own time. No it wouldn't be right to wait until the 11th hour, but now was too soon.

"I know. You're right. I'm just afraid that if I tell him he'll leave me. And the others... that conversation is too hard to have right now, but I will. Formally."

You pulled out your phone again and went back to his text. You replied 'Just hanging out with Prompto and talking shit about you.'

You needed a little lightheartedness right now, and you both were probably not done crying yet, but you would at least put it on hold.

"Come. Take a picture with me so I can send it to Gladio."

Prompto scooted in closer and you threw an arm around him. You put your cheeks together and smiled big for the camera. After the flash went off you sent it over to Gladio.

'Wish you were here Sweet Pea. Guess I'll just give all my cuddles to Prompto.'

You seriously enjoyed messing with him because it garnered the reaction you wanted. He had that way about him that made you feel desired.

You set your phone down and grabbed a pizza from the box. Your other hand reached for the remote and you changed to the movie channel.

"Mmm!" You pointed at the T.V. with your mouth full. "I love this movie! It's unrealistic though. Typical boy meets girl. They fall in love and the only crazy thing that happens is her parents disapproving of the guy. They wind up accepting him in the end because it turned out he was a secret prince."

"Wait, you said you loved this movie or you didn't?" The blond scratched his head.

"Oh no, I love it." You took another bite of your pizza. "It's just not realistic. Some prince isn't just going to waltz up to your door and befriend you, okay? Not how the world works."

"Isn't that what happened to you with Noctis though?"

"Totally different! You turned your body more toward Prompto. "Plus I came up to his door... or, window if you want to be more specific. Also we didn't fall in love."

Before Prompto could reply, you felt your phone vibrate beside you; Gladio. You didn't feel the least bit bad that you were teasing him at work. It was his fault for texting on the job.

You opened the message and your face just flushed. "Holy!"

You put the phone down deep into the couch cushion and took a deep breath.

"What? Let me see!" The blond tried to take your phone but your grip was extremely tight.

"No, Prompto. Trust me."

You lifted the phone back up and looked at the tantalizing picture he sent you. Shirt lifted showing off his abs, and his pants low enough to make your heart race. He was at work right? What the hell was he doing taking pictures like that?! And who said you wanted to sext?!

'Guess I'll keep my hands to myself then.'

'I don't have time for this negatively.' You replied and then tossed your phone onto the coffee table trying to pretend like you weren't all hot and bothered right now.

"Before I forget." You wiped your hands on a napkin, "Let me finish your nails."

He complied and gave you his hand. You added the second coat and smiled through your still aching heart.

"Your leave won't be forever." Prompto gave a comforting smile.

You were done talking about it, and he knew that. He just wanted to leave you with kind words. Not just for your sake, but his as well.

You didn't reply because hearing him say that got you all choked up again. You were so done with this crying, but that aspect was far from over. Your eyes got foggy, but you tried your best not to let the tears fall again.

You beckoned for his other hand and he gave it to you. Man you wanted tell him everything. Spill your guts! But you couldn't. That part of it all was too inexplicable at the moment. Right now you just wanted to enjoy painting his nails. Domestic things.

"Congratulations. You're officially a badass." Your voice was a bit shakey, but that was to be expected.

Looking at the time, your eyes narrowed. It was getting late and you had some errands to run before going on your date with Gladio tomorrow. "Sorry this wasn't much of a hang out."

"Wouldn't trade it for the world." He grinned as he looked at his posh nails. "Better start heading home though."

"Okay." You stood up and walked him to the door.

Your arms wrapped around him and you relished in the embrace. "I'm really happy that you're my friend Prompto."

"Me too." He gave you a light pat before backing away. "Remember, you can alway call if you're feeling down."

"I never forget." You smile warmly and close the door behind him.

Now that he was gone you could truly unleash the Kraken. You slid your back against the door until you were in a seated position. All the while tears poured down your face. Your hands came up to cover your eyes and you allowed yourself to be vulnerable.

Benedict heard your lonely sobs and came to sit by your side. She knew there was something wrong. The solution was for you to take things day by day. Just don't think about it and live life to the fullest until you couldn't anymore.

You needed to clear your mind. You had a date with Gladio tomorrow, and you didn't want it to go wrong all because of your thoughts about the future.

No. Tomorrow you would give your full attention to him. No more bringing yorself down with these thoughts. Really, now was the time for crossing that bridge when you got there. Yes it was repression, but at least it would get you through the rest of your days.

You gave Benedict a pet in her head before moving to the couch. You needed sleep. All you could hope is that your dreams would be better than your reality even if for a moment.


	14. Date Night

**Amicitia Manor : 3:16pm : 158 days**

You found yourself standing in front of Gladio's front door waiting for someone to answer. He told you to get ready at his house because there was a specific driver that would be taking you to your destination. It all sounded so exclusive. What were you in for? Whatever it was, it started at 6:00 and you could not be late.

In your arms you held your wrapped up dress, shoes, and make up. No change in jewelry. You never interchanged that.

Twisting your body, you used your elbow to ring the doorbell. Someone needed to answer quick! The weight of this gown was too much.

The door opened and there stood Jared. "Hello. Welcome back."

"Let me take that." He smiled as his hands reached out for your belongings. You were relieved he did too. "I will take this to the guest room. Gladiolus is in his room if you wanted to speak with him."

"Thank you." You grinned with a nod and made your way up the steps.

Upon reaching his door, you gave a light knock. No answer. He wasn't sleep; you knew that for sure. Probably in the bathroom then.

You opened the door and peeked your head inside. "Gladio?"

You heard the shower running, but he didn't answer. Good, this was the perfect time to snoop around in his room. You walked all the way in and closed the door behind you.

His room was really nice actually. Much like the guest room, but grander. Why did he need a hanging chandelier in his room? It was beyond you.

You sneakily tip toed to the end table by his bedside and opened it as inconspicuously as possible. The shower was still on, so you were in the clear. You pulled the wooden drawer open and got the jackpot on your first try.

He totally came off as the type of guy to have nudey mags in his possession, and it was nice to confirm that.

You looked over your shoulder and cracked open the magazine. What was this naughty boy looking at on those dreadfully lonely nights? Your eyes amplified as you looked. Every page was so much dirtier than the previous! Well alright then!

Just as you were getting ready to put it back, you felt arms wrap around your abdomen and pull you up off the floor.

"Doubt you're looking at that for creative purposes!" Gladio growled as he playfully tossed you onto the bed.

"On the contrary, I'm sure you do very creative things with it." You chuckled at your own joke.

"Oh you think that's funny?" His hand reached for your upper thigh and gave it a firm squeeze.

"No!" You put a foot on his chest to try to back him away. "Your towel is gonna fall! Stop!" You laughed as you squirmed around.

"You like looking through my stuff?" His hands clasped to your wrists and pinned them back on the bed.

"Yeah. I really liked the page with the sex swing. I can tell you did too you freak." You rose a smug eyebrow at him.

He hovered over you and leaned in to kiss your neck. He trailed lower and lower until he reached your sternum. His hands released from your wrists and grasped at the bottom of your shirt. He pulled it up and a shrill gasp caught you.

You never revealed yourself to anyone, yet here you were in your black see-through bra and garter belt coming up to your waist. Your chest so obviously rose and fell as he looked at you.

"I saw those panties you left at my house. I'd say you're just as freaky as I am." His lips kissed between your cleavage.

You placed your hand delicately on the back of his head as a gesture for him to keep doing what he was doing. His lips moved to the top of your left breast. He gave a tender kiss and began to suck your soft skin.

"Gladio." You grunted, "No hickies. I have to look like a lady in my dress."

He lifted his head and looked into your eyes, "How much skin are you planning on showing?"

"Don't get jealous. You'll see. But that reminds me. I should probably be getting ready right now."

Long lived that fun. There always seemed to be something getting in the way of you two having a good time. As much as you wanted him to service your body, it wasn't the right time.

You put your hand on his chest and guided him away so you could raise from the bed.

"Sorry I got your dick hard for no reason. You might wanna hop back in that shower." You sassily whipped your hair in his direction and made for the door.

"You think you're so cute huh?" He bit his lip and gave a firm smack to your bottom.

You squealed and scurried faster to the door. "You said it, not me."

Yes, it was best that you didn't spend anymore time in there. You needed to get ready and he was so distracting. Tying your hair up, you entered the guest room and closed the door behind you.

Jared had your belongings nicely laid out on the bed. You grabbed your box of makeup and walked over to the bathroom. It wouldn't take you very long for your hair and make up. You kept it simple. Not too heavy on the eyes, red lips, and a slicked back version of your natural hair.

You stripped out of the clothes you came in and looked at yourself in the mirror. You had to admit it, you looked damn good in this black lace lingerie. The bra, the garter belt, and the panties. As sexy as it was, you'd have to take off the garter belt. It would only get in the way of your gown.

You walked back into the room and unzipped the long garment bag. Your dress was long and black. Flowing mermaid cut with an off shoulder neckline. With the high split coming up your right leg, you were ready to go. Well at least after you slipped on your black heels.

While you still had no idea where you were going, you just hoped you weren't overdressed. Gaudy was the least thing you wanted to be.

A knock on the door sounded and you walked over to open it. It was Gladio equally dressed to the nines.

"Too much?" You grit your teeth.

"No, no... you look beautiful." The man sized you up.

"Thank you handsome." You smiled and reached up to press down the collar of his tuxedo.

Now as you stood next to him you felt really overdressed. You were seriously hoping you two didn't stick out like a sore thumb.

"Where are we going?" Your eyes looked innocently curious into his.

"Just a royal event. Now come on. We can't be late." Gladiolus grabbed you by the hand and led you downstairs before you could even think to back out.

.

 **Downtown : 5:55pm : 158 days**

You sat in the back of a posh stretch limousine seriously trying to figure out what the hell a 'royal event' meant.

Your pink nails tap against the black clutch in your hands. You were starting to get anxious thinking about where you were going.

"Hey." Gladio put a hand on your thigh. "Don't be nervous." He offered that same hand and you laced yours to his.

"It would be nice to know what I'm nervous about."

He need not answer any questions now. The limo stopped and you heard the roars of a loud crowd. You tightened your hand to his as you wondered what was going on. He gave you a soft kiss on your forehead to calm your nerves.

The limousine door opened, and you saw infinite flashes of white. It startled you, but there was no more taking refuge in the vehicle. Gladio pulled you along as he exited, and all you saw was bright camera flashes. It was blinding.

Public royal events garnered so much publicity. This is why most of them took place in secret. You had to admit it though, you felt like a true celebrity. Not that many of the pictures were aimed your way, but still, you hammed it up. So much for being nervous.

The pictures weren't long lived however. Gladio was quick to guide you inside the building for the main event. It was sickeningly grand, and it was only a lobby. Plush suede red couches, a large hand made crystal chandelier overhead, and a floor to ceiling waterfall fountain posted on the entire back wall.

There was a service desk right at the front. The woman behind the counter smiled, "Hello. Name please."

Gladio was quick to reply, "Amicitia plus one. Gladiolus."

"Thank you Mister Amicitia. Please enter the glass double doors to my right."

Again he tugged you along and the two of you entered the door. There was a person to guide you to your designated area. A long hallway of elevators was all this was. The man walked to the door second to the last on the left and took you all the way up.

Once the doors opened again you found yourselves on the top floor. Glamorous, extravagant, breathtaking. All words that were too underwhelming to explain this setting. It was things like this that made you wonder why you never allowed Noct to take you to one of these royal events. Your eyes couldn't even keep up with all the sights to be had.

"Gladio." You spoke under your breath as your hand clasped tighter to his. "So this is what the other side is living like."

He didn't say anything, but lead you to your designated table. You were in a sizable dining room with lights dimmed on the descending booth tables and shined brightly on a stage as its main focus. It looked a lot like an opera room. What kind of show would you be watching? Comedy? Singing? You wondered.

There was a mixer of people dressed all fancy and mingling at their tables. At the sight of them you sort of felt like you were now under dressed. Out of place was more the feeling. It was like you just didn't belong.

Gladio released your hand and allowed to slide into the booth first. Your eyes paced around, and you caught a glimpse of something you never thought you'd see in person. Not in this life.

"I-is that... Is that the... king?" Your jaw dropped and were for the first time in your life star struck.

You'd seen him in pictures and on television, but never in person. Of course you probably could have met him through Noctis, but that was something you were trying to avoid in the first place.

Your hand reached for the glass of water on the table and took a large gulp. It was dizzying being in a room with these people. Regis was sort of like a myth to you, and you couldn't keep your eyes off of him. Maybe you were staring too hard, but you couldn't help yourself.

"You're drooling babe." The tall man laughed.

"Sorry." Your eyes directed back onto him as you wiped the corners of your mouth. "I just have never seen, well, any of this before."

Suddenly you felt not so out of place, because not too far from the king was his son. You wouldn't say anything to him however. This was you and Gladio's date night. It was something you wanted to enjoy with him. You snuggled up to the man and hoped he wouldn't deny you. He never did, but you didn't know if he'd change his tune since he was around the royals.

He gave you a light kiss on the forehead and wrapped an arm around your waist. Oh yes, being snuggled in public by the man you... liked, a lot. It was a good feeling.

Your eyes still secretly remained on Regis as you waited for whatever was going to happen to happen. There was a tablet on the table, and Gladio used his free hand to pick it up and scroll through the menu with you.

You looked up at him, "You gonna let me pay this time?"

"Of course not." He scoffed, "It's all comped, and even if it wasn't you know I wouldn't."

Your eyes slightly rolled at his words, but not for too long. They went back to the menu and you didn't know what to order.

"I don't know what any of this is Gladio." You whispered to him secretly embarrassed.

"You trust me?" He rose an eyebrow.

What was he working up to here? Was he going to try to get you to eat some weird food?

"Sure." You said skeptically as your eyes still gazed at him.

He placed the order, and you had no honest clue what it was. Seemed as though you'd find out when it arrived.

Your curious eyes directed upwards as the already dimmed lights darkened even more. Whatever the show was, it was getting ready to begin and you were sort of excited. The curtain rose and there was an elaborate set behind it. Made you feel like the greenlands of Duscae were truly on that stage. You flinched a little as the orchestra in the orchestra pit began to play. You didn't even notice them before, but now it seemed so obvious.

Dancers entered stage left and stage right. You should have known it would be something classy like this. Your head leaned lazily against Gladio's shoulder, and he pulled you in even closer. You put a hand on his thigh and just kept it there. No massaging or movement, just perfect placement. Man you wished you were at home, but then again, if you were you'd have to follow through on all the non-verbal promises you were making to him.

Time seemed relative in this moment. You weren't relishing this event, or even the performance in front of you. You were enjoying the company of the man beside you. The only thing to snap you out of this was the heavenly scent of food being set down before you. It looked so mouth watering.

Creamy bisque and Carp of the Diem; appetizing. You straightened up and picked up a spoon for the soup. Dipping it in you took a sip and accidentally slipped out a deep moan. Luckily the orchestra was loud enough to drown it out, still, Gladio was always keen to these things. He adoringly watched as you continued to ingest the soup.

"What?" You dabbed your face with a napkin.

"Careful with that soup." Gladio leaned in closer to your ear, "It's a well known aphrodisiac."

Your eyes widened from his words, "Ooh, you are bad."

Sure he tells you this now after you ate like 70 percent of the bowl. You knew you should have ordered something for yourself, because it wasn't taking long for this food to kick in. You found yourself leaning back into him as he finished the rest of the soup. Your hand stroking from the top of his knee all the way to his upper thigh. You couldn't do this here, no. You were at a royal event, and in public.

Still, something wasn't stopping you this time. You hand ran up a bit further until you were right on his crotch. Your eyelids lowered and you explored him. What the hell was this man packing anyway? You rubbed up and down over his dress pants, and you could feel him getting a bit hard. That's where he stopped you.

His hand grabbed your wrist and pulled you away. "Not here."

PDA was all fine and dandy, but not when his father and the king were literally just a few feet away. Yes, this was something worth the wait, and you supposed you would. Even if the aphrodisiac wore off by the end of the night, which it inevitably would, that wouldn't hinder the plans you had for him later on.

You continued the rest of the evening watching the show like a good girl, and actually it was really nice. This was another one for the ol' memory bank. A well deserved standing ovation was given to the performers by the end, and lights went back to its normal self. As fun as this was, you were ready to get out of here.

Gladio scooted out of his seat first and you shortly followed. However, instead of going up and toward the exit, he was going down where his father and the king were. Oh no, you were really hoping that he wasn't trying to have you talk to either of them. Please no!

By the skin of your teeth you were saved only by Clarus meeting you two halfway. That was a much better result than having to say anything to Regis.

Gladiolus smiled at his dad, "This is my girlfriend."

"We met. Though at the time I do believe that this was only your friend." The king's sworn shield rose his eyebrows at you.

You didn't even know how to react to that comment. Well, it looked like it was time for you to take the candid route again.

"Pffft, titles. Friend. Boyfriend. It's all the same thing." You extended a hand for a handshake, "Good to see you again by the way. They say to look at a person's father to know how their son will age. Good to know that after a certain point your son will just cease to age completely."

Gladio looked at you with a somewhat surprised face. Shocked even that you were speaking so casually with his father.

"Actually they say to look at the mother's." Clarus corrected you.

You paused for a moment with your eyes slightly amplified, "I mean, that's neither here nor there."

Again you felt on top of the world as you pulled a chuckle from the man. There was no greater feeling than making a seemingly stoic person laugh.

"You two have a good night." Clarus looked at his son and back at you.

.

 **Home : 9:59 : 158 days**

You found yourself now adjacent to your front door, and more than that, you found yourself at a crossroads. You could let Gladio in and cross that line you'd never crossed before. Or, you could cut it here and save it for another day. Not everything had to happen at once, so you knew what you would do.

You turned the key in the lock, but not open the door yet. "I will let you in because I had fun tonight. However, we will only watch t.v."

Your eyebrow raised as you opened the door and revealed to him your house. Your words didn't seem to phase him. He knew what kind of tease he was dealing with. You flicked on the light and pointed over at the couch.

"Have at it." You began to walk down the hallway without giving him any kind of tour. "Turn to whatever you'd like. I'm going to get out of this dress."

You stepped into your room and pulled a plain shirt and shorts from your closet. As wonderful as you looked in this dress, it was time to take it off. You slipped it off and stood there in your black lace lingerie. No doubt it did the trick tonight at making you feel hot.

Just as you reached for your shorts, you felt Gladio's hands come up behind you and cup your breasts. His warm lips gave a kiss to the crook of your neck and you couldn't help but recoil.

"You were just gonna leave me alone in the living room?" He whispered in your ear, and your arms wrapped around his neck.

You pulled him down so his ear was now at your lips. "Put your hands on me." You bit his lobe and spoke through your teeth, "Lower."

Your request was his demand. His hands made sure to savor all of your curves as he did. His hands stayed at your waist as he lowered himself. Dropping tender kisses down your back, you shivered from the newness of this notion. As he reached your lower back, he stopped.

"What is this?" You felt his thumb rub over the tattoo on your ass.

Oh no. This is not what you needed to be explaining right now. "It says... Good Vibes in an ancient language."

You were internally sweating and hoping he wouldn't question it further. To ensure he didn't, you quickly turned around to face him. Your hands placed over his as he held your waist once again.

Gladio gave a kiss to your stomach as his fingers pulled down on the waistline of your panties.

"Wait." You held his wrists. "I just... I'm a little nervous. I don't wanna go all the way."

Yes you wanted to touch him, and for him to touch you, but you weren't ready for sex. Not yet. That didn't mean there weren't other options you couldn't explore.

"I just wanna make you feel good." He responded with a nod.

His hands gently guided you back on your bed. Your back hit the mattress and your power was now relinquished to the man before you.

He slid your panties down your legs just before spreading them. You felt so vulnerable; so exposed.

"Still trust me?" He confirmed with you.

"Always." You looked at the man before leaning back on your mattress and closing your eyes again.

You could feel his heat closing in on your most intimate space. The breath of him against your skin, and then his lips against yours. He went right in leading with his tongue; mixing your wetness with his. Tasting every part of you, and you clenching onto the blankets for dear life. His tongue traced its way up to your clitoris and that was when the breathy moan slipped from your throat.

What did you go and do that for? The sound of it just made the man want to go a little rougher with you. Although he was a dominant man, he would be gentle until you worked your way up to his pace. His tongue continued on your clit, flicking it around and making your back arch off the bed. It wasn't until he took the bud in his mouth and gave a nice suck that you reached for his hair.

"Gladiolus!" You yelled out.

The heel of your shoe came up and slightly dug into his left shoulder.

He knew he was doing something right by that sound. You never called him 'Gladiolus' unless it was something serious. He was too skilled and you were a mere amateur. You were on the brink of a long overdue orgasm, and it was worth the wait. You were becoming immune to the sound of your own moans as the only sense you were in tune with now was touch.

"I'm gonna..." You didn't finish your words; you couldn't.

His technique didn't slow down any, and he knew you were just moments away. You wanted that euphoric feeling consume you already. Not only for your sake, but Gladio's as well. If you pulled any harder on his hair you'd be ripping it out.

"I'm..." Even less words were expressed now.

You could feel it coming. Right on the edge and...

Suddenly your body froze. Everything stopped as you heard the front door open. No, this was not happening. Not now! Why did things in your life always happen to turn out this way?

Hurriedly you scooted away from the man and ran to your closet. You quickly put on a robe and kicked off your heels.

You looked at Gladio with wide eyes. "You gotta go, now. Just use one of the windows."

What the hell was this? What happened in between the time of him getting ready to give you the best orgasm of your life and now?

"I know you're home. I can smell your lingering perfume." A raspy voice sounded from the living room.

"C-coming." You nervously shouted as you made your way down the hallway.

"Bring the boy too." The person growled sharply.

Shit! This was not happening! This was just a bad dream that you would shortly wake up from.

Gladio wasn't afraid to meet this person. It was your freaking out that truly had him on edge. He walked from your bedroom to the living room and saw the person standing there covered in black garbs. Their daffodil eyes judging his every step.

Honestly, you'd just rather be dead. That seemed like a much better fate than this.

"Clarus' boy?" The person started. Without waiting for an answer, they pointed to the door. "Get out."

You inhaled sharply from their words, but it could have gone worse.

"Let me tell you something boy." The person pulled back the black material from their face and revealed the scars that lay beneath.

A woman, with scars everywhere, but the most prominent were the ones that trailed from the corners of her mouth down to who knows where.

"If I catch you in this house, near this house, or even looking at this house again I will take your head clean off and personally deliver it to your father."

Well, now it got worse. Yes, actually it got a lot worse. You just wanted to vomit.

Gladio could see your eyes tearing up. You didn't want this to escalate, and it was the only reason he wouldn't rebuttal. Simply he did this; lifted your chin gave you a kiss in front of the woman and smiled.

"Good night baby doll."

He closed the door behind him and you felt your heart weigh down with heaviness.

"Why?" You frowned as the tears welled in your eyes.

"Why what?" The woman replied. "I told you not to open Pandora's box, yet you insisted on clawing at its door. You should be asking yourself why. Why are you so selfish as to use these people when you know damn well you will never see them again? Using them for comfort until the time comes that you must leave. Why that?"

Her words only made you cry harder. Harsh, but true. You were using everyone for comfort, but there was something she was wrong about.

"I will see them again." You sniffled. "All of them; including my boyfriend Gladiolus Amicitia that you just kicked out."

A smile befell the woman; minute. "Well then, show me how you're going to survive. Let's get training."


	15. Glamping Day One

**Unknown : 7:11pm : 148 days**

You stood with straight posture. Your arms tired, your blistered and bloodied hands tightened around the bow and arrow before you. The sweat beads on your skin dare not stay stagnate. No, they drenched your clothing and filled you with the stench of hard work.

"One more round." You breathily told yourself aloud.

For hours now you'd been telling yourself 'just one more'. Perhaps it was a way of motivating yourself. Telling yourself that you were never actually done. There was always at least one more left.

You never went this hard on yourself before, but with the days coming to a screeching halt, you knew it was time to put on your game face, and fly right. Sacrificing a little time now from your friends would mean that there would be more in the future, or so you hoped.

You lowered the weapon and set it gently before your feet. That was all you needed to do for now, but the point was to confirm that you'd still have at least a little fuel in the tank after depriving yourself of sleep, energy, food, and water.

Reaching in your back pocket, you checked any missed messages or phone calls; nothing. You neglected your friends for the past week but maybe now was socialize again. You didn't want to stay away too long. At least you'd reply to their texts, but I'd been a while since you had some face to face interaction. Gladio was the only one you actually been around in person, and it was only for brief periods of time.

After that mess of an incident a week prior, you still needed to vent. Paying a visit to Noctis seemed like a good idea. Prompto had the better ears for listening, but there was a limit of things you'd lay at his feet.

You'd need to shower up and prep yourself before coming over. Your hands were in bad shape right now, and as suspicious as it was, you'd have to sport some gloves.

You sent a text to Noctis: 'Be at your place in an hour. We seriously need to talk.'

.

 **Apartment : 8:34pm : 148 days**

"It was a fucking disaster Noct! I wanted to die!"

You sat in Noct's living room once again recollecting on the date you had with Gladio. You were laid back on the couch with your feet in the prince's lap.

It was like a long needed therapy session, and after a few days of keeping this bottled up, this was exactly what you needed.

"Wait, so your aunt walked in as you two were making out? Ouch, that's pretty embarrassing." The raven haired boy grit his teeth.

That woman wasn't your aunt, but you couldn't tell him who she really was. Not only that, you already told Gladio that's who she was.

"Y-yeah... we were kissing." Your eyes shifted left and right.

It wasn't like you couldn't tell him about your sexual endeavors, but it was embarrassing. It reddened your cheeks enough just to tell him that you two were dating.

"She's so dramatic sometimes. I apologized like 1000 times, and he keeps saying it's fine. I don't feel fine though."

You let out a long sigh and just looked up at the ceiling. "Can I ask you a question Noct?"

"What's up squirt?" His blue eyes directed back toward you.

"What if I just up and left one day? Like... one day I was here having fun with you guys, and the next I was just gone and you never saw me again." You maintained a straight face. You didn't want him to catch on that there was truth in that statement.

"Is that going to happen?" His eyebrows came down into a frown.

You shook your head with fierce conviction, "No, no. I was just watching some T.V. show about that sort of stuff and it just got me wondering."

You could feel Noct's body relax after hearing your answer. He knew you were a huge fan of hypothetical questions, and that was the only reason he wasn't very suspicious of this out of the blue question.

"Then we don't have to worry about it. It's not going to happen." He shrugged.

Your back lifted from the couch and you looked the boy intensely in the eyes, "No Noctis, we do."

Realizing you were taking this question too seriously, you retracted and switched your tone. "I mean, it's all hypothetical. Just answer the damn question." You sighed.

"Well..." His eyes looked down as he pondered. "I guess I'd have to come after you."

"What?!" That was totally not the answer you wanted to hear. You didn't mean to yell, but you were just so taken aback.

"You thought I was going to say that I'd be really sad, huh?" He'd smirk as he recollected his answer.

You scrunched your nose, "That's not a Noctis answer at all! You're just saying what you think I want to hear, aren't you?"

Again you'd fall back onto the couch. You released a long sigh before speaking again, "I thought you were going to say something like you'd be upset. And although time would pass and heal your emotional wounds you would always wonder what happened to me."

"Nah." He pursed his lips as he shook his head. "No need to wonder. I'd find you. You know Prompto would make me anyway."

There it was again; that lump in your throat. Maybe it was best that you never even brought this up in the first place. The way he spoke was so nonchalant, but he meant it. It wasn't like it never dawned on you that your inevitable absence would affect the people around you, but you didn't think about the different ways that people would react to it.

"Don't." You cleared your throat, "If something crazy like that ever happened, don't come after me."

"Oh sure." The boy rose his eyebrows, "I'll just sit on my ass mourning the loss of my friend while Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis go searching for you. Where is this coming from anyway?"

You sat up again and tucked your legs beneath your thighs, "Nowhere! I told you I just saw a program about it, and it was very eye opening!"

You had to stop bringing light to this situation. If not, you'd have to start explaining yourself again. It was a reminder of what you told yourself; cross that bridge when you get there. Just have fun in the meantime and live in the moment.

"So..." Noct started again after a long pause, "You and Iris getting along yet?"

"Are you kidding me?" Your eyes couldn't roll harder if they tried. "I feel like if it weren't frowned upon by society, she'd put a torch to my face."

The prince gave you somewhat of a slick side eye, "Not sure that's true. She's not that bad."

"You're not dating her big brother, so you wouldn't know like I do, okay." Your arms crossed and your lips drooped to a pout.

Of all the things happening in your life right now, that seemed to be the most unnecessary. All it made you think about was the problems you wouldn't be facing if only you chose Ignis instead. Still, you were glad you didn't.

"I wanna go to this camping spot I heard about." You randomly blurted out. You'd been thinking about going for a while now, but under these circumstances it just seemed out of the blue.

"Good thing you have a boyfriend who loves doing that kind of stuff." The thought hadn't even crossed Noct's mind that you meant him.

Your eyelids lowered, "Noctis..." You sighed, "School starts back up next week. I really think we should use our last days camping. All of us! It'll be fun!"

He seemed so against the idea with his arms tightly crossed and the frown on his face. "Ask Gladio. Besides, Ignis is probably gonna be working."

The sinister cogs in your mind began to turn as he declined you. It took all your might to hold back a smile.

"You know.. there this place my aunt used to tell me about. It was up in the mountains; green and white snow capped mountains. The sunrise is beautiful from that spot. It isn't obstructed by buildings. Nothing but pure sky, and the way the sun peeks over the horizon is like none other. It hits just the right spot on the mountain; a lake. Probably about a mile from the camping area. It draws out one of the rarest fish in the world. The Gold Queen is what they called it."

You stood up from the couch and walked away with a grin larger than the Cheshire cat. "Or so they say. I haven't been, so I wouldn't know. Probably just a tall tale. Anyway, I should get going. Let me give Gladdy a ring and ask him if he wants to camp. See ya later Noc-"

"G-Gold Queen is what you said it was?" The boy attempted to put his words together without sounding desperate.

"Yeah, and I guess it'll have to remain a legend, because I don't fish." You were internally rubbing your hands together as he fell into your trap.

"I guess it wouldn't be too bad if we roughed it for a couple days..." He softly spoke.

"So you're in?!" You gleefully squealed.

Noctis sighed regrettably, "I'm in."

"Hell yeah! Let me call the guys!"

.

 **Noctis' Car : 9:48am : 147 days**

"I'm so stoked for this! You guys don't even know!" You grinned from the back seat of the car.

"We know." Noctis pressed a hand to his cheek as he looked out of the window.

You stuck your tongue out at the boy, "Even on the way to a fun camping trip you're still a sourpuss in the morning."

You spitefully snuggled up to Gladio on your right. That was the only good part about sitting in the middle to be honest. You mostly questioned why Prompto wasn't back here. He was small enough to fit comfortably. It was too late now. You still had quite some time to go.

Your hand came up to cover your mouth as a thought crossed your mind. It was quite funny to you actually. Your laughter couldn't stifle anymore. It was all out.

"What's so funny?" Prompto looked back at you with his curious blue eyes.

"I was just thinking..." You snorted from laughter once more as you tried to get out your thought. "...about.. how weird it would be if it was just you four on a road trip without me."

Still not finding the humor, Prompto tilted his head to the side. You knew from that look that he was definitely not picking up what you were putting down.

"Three words." You held up your fingers, "Boring-sausage-fest!" You sighed, "I can see it now. Iggy probably driving the whole time, you taking pictures every 2 seconds, Noct and Gladio probably sawing logs back here. Yup, I could see it now."

Gladio let out a brief chuckle, "Guess you got us all figured out huh?"

You nodded with a smug look of 'smartass' on your face. "I know my friends..."

"Speaking of which." The blond boy brought his camera up to snap a pic of you. "Say cheese!"

"Don't!" You quickly hid your face. "Wait until we get somewhere more scenic at least! I don't look good right now."

You tucked your face deeper into the black coat you were wearing. Pictures were nice and all, but you liked them when they were landscapes. Not so much people; specifically, you by yourself.

"I'm gonna get one of you alone." The boy narrowed his eyes at you. He was on a mission now.

You looked back out at the scenery, and the road. You felt kind of lost in the beauty of it. Why did you have to go back to school? Why did you have to go away? Were you even going to make it to your own graduation? You did the math in your head, and yes! You would, but just barely.

It was weird for you to calculate all of these milestones and holidays. There was Valentines Day, Spring Festival, the Water Festival, you'd barely make Flag Day! So many holidays that you never really participated in before, but now you wanted to.

You smiled as you thought about it. A soft, gentle smile. It made you happy to think about all of the events, even some you couldn't remember in this moment that you'd be sharing with your friends.

You saw a flash of white, and your eyes quickly looked up.

"Got it!" Prompto yelled.

"I'm gonna kill you!" You reached for the camera, clawing at the boy, but you couldn't reach. Not with Gladio holding you back.

He went back to the reel and showed you the picture. "I'm not deleting it."

It was so candid and genuine. Even you had to admit how beautiful you looked. So natural, and it truly represented you.

"No, I wouldn't ask you to." Your lips pulled into a smile.

"How much longer til we get there Ignis?" Noctis grumbled as he tried to find a comfortable position.

"Not much longer. Around an hour." Ignis replied with his eyes still on the road.

"So, do we have to set up camp right when we get there?" Prompto spoke on the boarder of a complaint.

"We aren't setting anything up." You shook your head. "Glamping is more so the term. The prissy little prince didn't want to, so we're staying at some inn. Only problem with that is we'll be hiking 5 miles instead of 1 to get to his precious fishing spot."

The thought alone annoyed you. He just had to change his mind last minute, didn't he? Well, at least you'd be in a cushy room. Didn't equate to roughing it in the wild though. You'd never even been to this inn before, but you knew it would be nice since Noctis set it up. You told him that if he wanted to stay there, he'd have to work out the reservations and whatnot.

You wrapped your arms around Gladio and rested your head on his chest as you leaned on him; still looking out of the window. It was soothing the way his warm hand gently rubbed your back. Maybe one day you two could go camping. Roughing it as a duo out in the wilderness. You'd feel safe, that's for sure.

Your eyes closed, and just like Noctis, you were fast asleep.

.

 **Cedar Tree Lodge : 11:01am : 147 days**

"Wakey wakey!" You heard the loud voice of Prompto startle you away.

Your eyes cracked open, and then jut to widen as you saw that you were now at the camp grounds. It was much more stunning than you'd been told, and this wasn't even the main area. Greenery all around you, and the smell of pine. It was gorgeous. Not as much snow as you'd originally thought, but maybe you'd find some on the hike.

Your head lifted from Gladio's chest, and you could feel the bed scars on your face from the wrinkles in his shirt. Everyone exited the vehicle and unpacked their things.

"Wow! It's so beautiful here!" You climbed over Gladio's lap and exited the car.

Of course there was a more practical way of exiting, like waiting for him to get up, but who has time for that? You headed around back where Ignis had already taken out your bags and set them down. Just as you were getting ready to pick them up, you heard a new voice.

"I'll take those young miss." A gentleman working at the inn was ready with his luggage cart.

Man, this was getting ready to be some serious glamping. Besides the hike you'd go on, you probably wouldn't lift a finger so long as you were here.

"Oh, thank you so much." You grinned.

Yes, you wanted to rough it in the wild, but hell, if Noctis wanted to make a reservation at this hotel, then fine.

"I'm gonna check us in." Noctis began to head inside to the lobby.

You followed shortly behind, and your eyes were so wide. You didn't even want to blink out of fear you'd miss something. It was so rustic but fancy at the same time. From the elevation you were at, you could see everything!

The prince walked over to the counter and began to check you all into your rooms. You on the other hand decided to take some of the delicious soft mints inside the glass jar on the counter. They were so good, and hell, they were free so you could eat however many you wanted.

"I am so sorry your highness, but we only have one room with one bed available." The man behind the counter profusely apologized.

"Wait, what's going on here?" You hastily turned around with your eyebrows raised.

Noctis sighed, "Apparently they're completely booked except one room with one queen sized bed."

"I thought you made a reservation!" Your eyes amplified.

"I did, but some guests extended their stay." He shrugged.

What a nightmare. At least if you guys were sleeping in the wilderness you'd be in separate tents... or at least that's how you planned it. You did NOT want to share a single bed with these boys.

"You're the prince of Lucis! I'm sure they can find another room." Your eyes directed to the employee behind the counter. "Can't you?"

"W-well, I-"

"No." The raven haired boy looked at you with serious eyes. "Squirt, please. It's cool."

"Fine, well someone has to sleep on the floor, and it's not me." You crossed your arms, daring him to challenge you almost.

Noctis took a long pause, and you could tell he was slightly irritated. "We'll take the available room."

You continued to eat mints as the rest of the guys entered the lobby.

"I know that pouty face." Gladio walked over to you with an eyebrow raised, "What's wrong Half-Pint?"

"Either we're all going to get super acquainted with each other and sleep in one bed, or some people are going to have to sleep on the floor." You crossed your arms as you chewed on the mint.

"Wait what?" Prompto stood beside you as well.

"I'm not repeating myself." You sighed, still throughly irritated by the situation.

"Let's play for the bed." The large man suggested.

"Got the key. Let's go." Noctis waved around the card as he headed to the elevator.

The rest of you followed, but your attention was still on Gladio. "Wait, so you said we should all play for the bed?"

"Yeah, like rock paper, scissors or something. Whoever wins gets the bed." He looked around the group to see if everyone agreed.

They nodded their heads in confirmation, and you all placed your hands in the middle. You hoped either you or Gladio would win. If he won, that meant you won too.

Both Prompto and Noctis had a 50 percent chance of choosing you or each other, an if Ignis won, you'd all be on the floor. The odds were in your favor, but still not good. As you all rode to the top, you started one hell of a rock paper scissors game.

"One, two, three, go!" You shouted and everyone placed their selection.

Everyone chose rock except...

"Son of a bitch!" Prompto pouted.

"My sweet little blondie, is that you swearing like that?" You placed a fictitiously appalled hand to your chest.

He didn't reply, but instead watched the game ensue. Noctis was his only hope of having the single bed. That was, if he didn't somehow change his mind and choose you instead. Which, that option would be just fine if he did.

Again the four of you drew, and Ignis was out. No surprise there. He was the only one to switch up and choose scissors instead of rock again. You three were so predictable. But it was your predictability that, in a sense, made you unpredictable. He'd push up his glasses and scoot back to the corner of the elevator.

There was only three left. You all drew, and it was two rocks to one scissor...

"And then there were two." Noctis grinned.

"Ready, set, go!" You yelled as you drew your rock.

Just like some sort of plot twist ending, you were defeated by the only paper drawn in this game.

"Dammit! I was so close..." You lowered your head in defeat.

"Babe, I'm literally gonna share the bed with you." Gladio rolled his eyes as he looked at your disappointed face.

The fact of the matter was, you could have stopped playing after Noctis got out, but you were so into it that you didn't even realize you were competing with the one person who was definitely going to share the bed with you.

"Oh yeah... Yay!" You perked up all in one instant.

The solid doors of the elevator opened, and you were then led to a floor with only two doors. To the left is where you walked. Noctis used the key card to open the door, and it was like glamping paradise. Why would you ever leave when you were in such a nice room?

Fireplace, couches, television, open balcony, kitchen, ceiling fans, floor to ceiling windows, gorgeous view, hot tub literally built into the deck. Again, what was the point in ever leaving?

One thing was strange though, as big as this room was, you wondered why there was only one bed.

"Still think this was a bad idea squirt?" Noctis nudged you.

"Not at all." You continued to look around at the beautiful surroundings. "I love this place."

You sprawled out in the amazingly comfortable bed. It was so fluffy and nice. You closed your eyes and rested your tired head.

Long lived that. You felt your feet being dragged until you were at the edge of the bed.

"No!" You yelled through your laughter. "Just a few more seconds!"

"Nope." You heard Gladio's stern voice. "Come on, we're going to the hot spring."

You didn't need much convincing there. "Ooh, who's going? I wanna go!"

"Us, come on. Get dressed." He tapped the side of your thigh.

Quickly you sprung up from the bed and unzipped your suitcase brought in by the bellhop. Most of what you brought was camping gear, but you did pack a few swimsuits just in case. You pulled out your off the shoulder black one-piece swimsuit. Yes, one-piece, because you wanted to go for more of a cute vibe here rather than sexy.

You were constantly killing these boys. It was best to give them a break from those looks you were serving all the time.

You made your way to the glorious bathroom to get changed. It was at that point where you closed the door that you noticed your gloves. Right, if you were getting in water, you were going to have to remove those, and if you removed them, you'd have some explaining to do.

Finally you left the bathroom dressed ready for a dip. You had your pants and jacket over the swimsuit of course. It was too cold to walk straight over without it.

"I am so ready! Let's go to the spring!" You grinned widely.

"Sounds good, lets go!" Prompto matched your excitement. "Just so you know, there's a bit of a hike."

"No sweat, as long as we get there." You waved off the comment.

.

 **Hot Spring Trail : 12:34pm : 147 days**

When you heard the words 'a bit of hike' never did you think it meant longer than 20 minutes. The 5 of you walked on the grueling trail. It wasn't even the distance that was killing you. It was the fact that it was all uphill. You did need to train for endurance however, and this was good practice.

"Hold up." Prompto stopped walking, "I wanna get a shot of us standing by that tree over there."

You were kind of glad he asked. To be honest, you were getting completely sick of this walk and could use a break. The spot Prompto talked about was so beautiful. The way the sun rays beamed down in that area was magnificent. Time was of the essence for this picture.

You were just a little bit behind everyone, but not too far. You walked toward the spot, but before you could make it, you felt your leg fall through a hole.

"Watch out!" Ignis yelled to you.

The man was right beside you, and it was just instinct to grab him. You'd definitely feel bad about it later, but down the two of you went.

It wasn't your regular run of the mill hole's, no. It was a long way down, and now that you were at the bottom of it, you didn't understand how you missed it in the first place.

"Shit!" You gasped as you were now doused in water.

From the bottom, you looked up and saw the gaping hole. Where was your mind at that you missed this? You looked over to see Ignis right beside you. Both of you were just floating in this pool of water.

"I am so sorry." You grit your teeth hoping he wouldn't be too upset with you.

"It's alright. Are you okay?" As usual he wasn't upset with you, but more concerned.

Before you could answer, the 3 boys were at the top of the hole looking down.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" Gladio yelled.

"We're good, but you guys gotta call for help or something. This hole is too deep for you to help us." You shrugged your shoulders, "Plus there's nothing to latch onto."

Man this was a great way to start your vacation, now wasn't it? Stuck in some underground river? Nice!

"Okay, stay here and we'll go get help." Noctis yelled back.

Ignis turned and saw that the path leading deeper into some kind of cave, "I believe this connects to the outside. I researched about the underground river here. We could all meet at its entrance. It would be less trouble."

You sighed. Man you really didn't want to swim, and even worse, you didn't want to be stuck down here in the dark. Was this really going to happen? You looked at the dark cave and then back at Ignis.

"Dammit." You sighed.

"We could always wait here. Whatever makes you feel comfortable." The blond man reassured you.

"No." You shook your head, "Let's get swimming."

.

.

 **Authors Note:** Hello! I just first and foremost wanted to apologize for taking so long to release another chapter. I will definitely never take this long again. I did have a family member pass away which is why I initially took a break, and on top of that the weight of school began getting really heavy. Good news is everything's fine. I do have one last push until my semester's over, so the next chapter will probably be posted in about two weeks. After that, I'm home free and should go back to updating regularly. Thanks and I hope that you enjoy my story!


	16. Glamping Day Two

**Underground River : 12:32pm : 147 days**

"Ughhh, how much further?" You spoke to Ignis.

Your arm was latched to his so the two of you wouldn't get separated. Lucky for the two of you the water in this cave was quite warm.

"Not much." He looked over at you.

You were barely able to see one another, but the light from the glow worms above made you just barely visible.

"The entrance is just ahead." Ignis pointed, "You can see it from here."

It was a very small light at the end of the tunnel. Small enough to mistake it for something else, actually. You could hear rushing water from the outside; almost like you were beneath a waterfall or something.

There wasn't very much talking between the two of you. Your main focus was exiting this cave and meeting up with everyone. As long as it took for you two to swim there, they should be right outside waiting for you both.

Finally the exit was clear within your sights, and you were able to make it back into the light of day.

"Where are they?" You looked around.

Just as you did NOT expect; the boys were nowhere to be found. You figured Gladio had the best sense of direction, so they should have been here. Then again, you could see it now. Prompto, Noctis, and Gladio all having different opinions on where the river let out.

You climbed out of the water and into the frigid air. You were at the outside of a waterfall just as you suspected. You knew you heard rushing water. Made sense now why there was a random sinkhole in the ground with water at the bottom of it. Though someone should really block that thing off. Then again, they probably didn't need to since it was so obvious and hard to miss.

"Shit it's cold!" You held your arms.

You knew in situations like this it was best that you removed your wet clothes. Perks of dating Gladio; he tells you about all the survival tips. Luckily you had a swimsuit on underneath, so it wouldn't be that weird getting undressed in front of the man that you once considered dating.

Ignis did the same, and the two of you sat in silence. It wasn't like you never talked to Ignis on your own. In fact, you talked to him quite a lot one on one, but it was the situation that had you clam-like.

You wondered if the boys would ever find you. There went the irrational part of your mind again. Spinning free from its cogs. It was times like this that you missed Gladio's bear hugs. It was so cold out here. You contemplated sitting in the water until they arrived, but you wanted to dry off.

"Let me see them..." Ignis started. He didn't look at you, no, but kept his gaze forward.

"See...them? See what? What's them?" You asked with a look of serious discomfort on your face. What the hell was he asking to see now?

"Your hands." He continued, green eyes now turning to meet yours.

You were internally damning yourself. You looked down at your hands, and they were the same as when you left the hotel room, gloved. After stripping off all of your clothes you still kept your gloves on. Now if that didn't scream suspicious then nothing did.

"Why? They're fine." You placed your hands in your lap in an attempt to keep them away.

"Your hands will be the first to catch frostbite if you don't." He warned you with a stern tone.

"The guys will be back any minute now, so I don't think it'll matter anyway. Besides, they're keeping my hands warm believe it or not." You fictitiously chuckled.

Ignis was no idiot. He knew there was something going on with you. The way that you resisted removing the gloves only furthered his suspicion. He didn't ask again, but the look in his eyes caught you off guard. It was as if he demanded you to take them off in no words at all.

"Okay... okay! I'll take off the damn gloves." You removed them and although you were just in water, your hands were very dry.

Fine cuts adorned the inner parts of your fingers. Knuckles bruised, nails chipped, and there was even a minute shake to your hands.

"Archery. There's no grandiose thing happening. I just don't like people seeing my hands this worn down, okay?" You narrowed your eyes at him, hoping he wouldn't ask for greater details.

"A hobby shouldn't bring this much harm." He pushed up his glasses. "It is just a hobby isn't it?"

"Ignis." You lowered your head.

You were just glass, and he could see right through you. Prompto already knew about it. Noctis was too clueless to catch on. You never showed signs of being even remotely sad around Gladio, probably because you never were. But Ignis, he was extremely attentive. You couldn't lie to him.

Hell, you couldn't lie to Gladio either, but so far you never gave him a reason to question you.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He looked at you with sympathetic eyes.

"No." You shook your head.

You didn't want to talk about it here; risking the boys walking up and having to explain to everyone was something you were far from ready to do.

"Please... I'll tell you, but I need time Ignis. I promise I will give you an explanation." You sighed.

The blond man nodded and accepted your answer. He knew that you would stay true to your word. It did however pique his interest.

"Why are you naked?!"

You jumped up as you heard Prompto's squeaky voice.

You quickly gestured to yourself. "I'm not naked!"

Gladio walked over to you and placed his jacket around your arms, "You alright?"

You nodded contently from the comfort of his warm coat, "Yeah, but I don't really feel up to going to the Spring anymore. I kind of just wanna go back to the room and rest up a bit."

You could see Prompto's little face getting ready to whine. He really did want to visit the Spring, and the last thing you wanted to do was take away his fun.

"Don't let me kill the fun. You guys still go, please. We'll hang out later. I'll figure some stuff out for us to do." Your eyes begged the guys not to stop on your account.

"I'll walk this knucklehead back to the room." Gladio turned to you, "Wouldn't want you to fall in another hole."

It was settled then, and from there the two of you headed back. You wished you never fell down that stupid hole in the first place. Sooner or later you'd have to address that can of worms you opened with Ignis, and it was a conversation that you were not looking forward to.

.

 **Hotel Room : 1:19pm : 147 days**

You were back in the hotel room ready to catch up on some well deserved rest.

"Thanks for walking me back here... though I could have walked myself. You could have went to the spring with the guys you know?" You spoke to the man as you took off your shoes.

"And leave you to fall in another hole? Nah.."

You began to remove your coat and pants, "Aww, is Gladdy scared that I'd get hurt?"

You grinned looking back at the man. "Or worse, I'd get mauled by the big bad wolf." You giggled.

You walked into the bathroom beside the shower getting ready to hop in and clean up. All you wore was your damp swimsuit now. It would be the last article to go.

"Or maybe it's just because I love you and wanna spend time with you. Ever think about that smart ass?"

You tugged down on the black frill of your swimsuit. Before you had a chance to reply you could feel lips on your neck. They moved from your neck to your lips as he tilted your head back. Your eyes closed as you welcomed this notion.

You didn't think it was possible to indulge in a Spider-Man type kiss unless one of you were upside down, but height differences took that problem away.

Your heart was sent aflutter. Never had those faithful words slipped his lips before. You loved him for a long time now, and it was nice to know he felt the same.

"Gladiolus..." You turned around to look him in the eyes once more, "I love you too. Thank you for spending time with me."

With your finger you beckoned him closer to press a sweet kiss to his lips once again. You backed away and pulled down the swimsuit to reveal yourself to the man before you. You had to admit, you loved how his eyes couldn't stay off of you.

"But you can't get in the shower with me." You spoke the words, but the tone and look on your face said otherwise.

You walked tantalizingly into the shower and turned the knob.

A glistening goddess you were to him. Wet and beautiful. There was no way he could keep his hands to himself.

He removed his clothes and entered right behind you. His hands made their way onto your thighs and you sighed.

"Obviously someone didn't hear me. No funny business. I need to get clean." You turned around to look at him and that was a huge mistake.

"Shit." You said almost inaudibly.

He looked so damn good in this shower, and the smirk on his face said that he knew that you were fighting your urges.

His hand reached for your ass as he pulled you back to him. Skin slapping as your body was pressed against his. You could feel his growing erection between the two of you. You hadn't seen it yet, but by the feel, you could tell it was something quite scary for a first timer.

Your hand ran against the underside of his length; you wanted to get a real measurement. A low moan bellowed from his throat as you did. He was craving to be touched by you.

If the shower wasn't on, your palms would be quite sweaty. There was no way he'd fit all of himself inside of you. Too much girth.

You wrapped your hand around his cock and began stroking up and down. He'd have to settle for a handjob because sex was out of the question.

"You know we can't do this right now." You looked into his pleased amber eyes.

Your strokes began to pick up in speed. He was getting harder in your hand, and you could feel the thick veins against your palm.

"We don't know when the boys will be back. I don't want them catching us."

"Does it look like I give a shit?" He spoke fighting his grunts.

If anything he was worried about your "aunt" walking in again, and that wasn't even a possibility.

"I know baby, and that's the problem." You planted a kiss on his peck, "I don't want my best friends walking in and seeing me on full display."

"They're gonna be gone for at least the next hour." He lowered himself to your ear, "So that gives me just enough time to break you off."

"No." You shook your head, "It's my turn."

You still weren't ready for sex, not that he'd ever pressure you if you directly told him no, but you truly did want to please him. Secretly you wanted to watch him unfold at your helm.

You lowered yourself to your knees, and as beautifully designed as this shower was, it wasn't built for giving blowjobs, that's for sure. Your knees were not gonna come out of this unscathed.

Closing in, you started at the base, where your tongue ran up his thick, hard cock. You stopped at the tip where you'd tease the head and take it into your mouth.

"Fuck." He swore under his breath.

It was quite the confidence booster, knowing that you made him unravel in this way.

Your lips wrapped around his dick as you took more of him into your mouth. His hand placed on the back of your head as you dipped back and forth.

Using your hands to guide you down his shaft, you were pleasing the man in ways he didn't think you knew how. If it weren't for you giving him the blowjob of his life, he'd probably be questioning why your hands felt so rough.

"Just like that baby." He reassured you.

You retracted back up with only your lips at his tip before pulling away. Your tongue traced along the side of his erection, and you could feel it throb from the build up.

Your hand came up to cradle his scrotum, and this was a moment to relish in. There weren't many times in Gladio's life where he was just a mere chess piece ready to be moved only on command, but this was that time. You were the one in charge here, and it felt damn good.

"Baby! I'm gonna cum!" He warned you as he stroked himself to completion.

You weren't sure where he wanted it, but like a good girl you waited. Not much waiting ensued as you felt the white gold squirt onto your chest. His deep grunts filled your ears, and there was a great sense of accomplishment.

The sight of the white semen wasn't long lasted as the water from the shower quickly washed it away.

You stood up and he gave a kiss to your forehead, "Damn, didn't think you had that in you."

"Well there are a lot of things you don't know." You said with a smirk as you turned around. "Now can we please shower up now?"

Shower up you did. The two of you stayed in the room and the others didn't show back up until much later. It kind of sucked that you missed out on the first day of glamping, but there were still two days left of fun.

Tomorrow's agenda would be even more fun, and certainly nothing stupid would happen. That you'd make sure of.

.

 **Cedar Tree Lodge : 9:45pm : 147 days**

Soon you two retired onto the bed and spooned as you lay. Gladio held you in his arms under the blanket and you perked up as you heard the door open.

"Finally back?" You spoke. "You guys were gone for hours, what the hell were you doing?"

"Getting ourselves lost thanks to someone." Noctis glared back at Prompto.

"Hey I thought I saw a chocobo okay!" The blond pleaded.

"Well I don't give a shit whose fault it is. As long as you two are ready BEFORE the crack of dawn. Gold Queen waits on no one."

You looked over at Ignis and shook your head, "Iggy..."

You wondered how he let this happen. He was the responsible one of the group. He looked so exhausted. You wouldn't give him a hard time.

"Looks like you two had a good time." Noctis spoke smugly as he looked at you two still spooning on the bed.

"Shut up; we just watched t.v. and ordered room service."

You felt Gladio's hand squeeze your thigh, and you squirmed accordingly. So not true, but they didn't need to know what happened here, and for your sake he wouldn't call you out on your bullshit.

"Oh and I'm sure those are mosquito bites on your neck too huh?" Prompto snickered as he looked at you both.

"Shut up!" You yelled louder as you threw a pillow at him.

There was no denying the hickey's on your neck. Anytime the two of you got together there was always a chance that Gladio would use your neck as a canvas for little love marks. You were more shy about them though. Fun in the moment, but a bitch to explain.

Things simmered down, and you were fast asleep. There was a big day ahead, and you needed as much sleep as possible. Just as you said, the Gold Queen would wait on no one. It was time to see if the legends were true.

.

 **Hilltop : 4:57am : 146 days**

"How much further?" Noctis whined to you.

It was you, Noctis, and Prompto. The 3 Amigos back again. You somehow escaped the jaws of life that were Gladio's arms without waking him up, and avoided the soft sleeper that was Ignis. There was no real point in leaving them behind besides the fact that you hadn't had a moment alone with your two best friends in a long time. This was the perfect opportunity.

"Hang in there Noct. We're almost there." You pointed at the snow surrounding the path, "You can tell by how dense it's getting."

"S-so I guess we're supposed to ignore all these warning signs?" Prompto worriedly looked around.

Yes, there were a lot of signs warning not to cross over into the territory you were all stepping in, but since when did you guys follow the rules?

"Sometimes you've gotta break the law to create new one's Prompt." You ambitiously spoke. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Pffft, that didn't even make sense." Noctis shook his head.

Prompto nodded in agreement, "Yeah, famous last words!"

Wasn't much more of a push before you guys reached your destination. You wondered why this spot was a secret when the lake was so huge.

"Wow, I've never seen a lake this big before. Definitely not on the side of a mountain. How did fish get up here in the first place?" Prompto spoke as the three of you walked to the end of the long pier.

Noctis set up his gear and cast his line. He was tired but the adrenaline was keeping him awake.

Prompto sat in the right, you were in the middle, and Noctis was on the left with all his fishing gear.

"I've missed... hanging out with you guys.." You started.

"We hang out all the time squirt." The prince looked back at you.

"No, but I mean just us three." You kicked your feet back and forth as they dangled from the pier. "Sometimes I wish I could go back to our freshman year and start from there. Troubles were so much further away back then."

"Is this about that thing again?" Noctis didn't break his eye contact, "The suddenly disappearing thing?"

There was an overwhelming silence coming from Prompto. He'd dare not speak. If he did he'd might just end up spilling everything.

"No it's not about that!" You dramatically huffed, "I just meant like graduating and stuff. What if we graduate and don't hang out anymore?"

Noctis rolled his eyes as he looked out at the lake, "Sorry to break it to you squirt, but school is not the sole reason we hang out."

Only you and Prompto knew what you actually meant. You were regretting having told him in this moment. He was keeping to together, but you could tell it was hurting him. Not only did he have to keep this secret, he had to pretend like you didn't say you might be getting led to your death.

The guilt of that alone was overwhelming you more than your numbered days. You should tell Noctis too, but at the same time you didn't want him to be sad like Prompto.

You just stayed quiet for a moment. Much idle chit chat ensued as the hands of time spun. It was finally daybreak, and the three of you could see the gorgeous sun peaking over the horizon.

By now Ignis was already up, and if he was up that meant he noticed you three were gone. That would lead to him waking up Gladio and the two of them attempting to call you three, but your phones were back at the lodge. So yeah, when you met up again you'd be dead for sure.

"This is it!" You squeezed Noct and Prompto's arm.

The prince perked up as he could feel the line being tugged at. It wasn't like any of the small fish he caught before. This was a legend!

"I might need you guys' help pulling this one out the water." Noctis stood up; beginning to slowly reel in his catch, "It's heavy!"

"What are you gonna do with it? Let it go? Bring it back to the lodge?" You stood up beside him.

"Don't... know..." He grunted as he attempted to keep his grip on rod. "Let's see what she looks like first!"

With one final tug, Noctis pulled the lure clear out of the water. There was no gold queen attached, hell, there wasn't even a fish.

"What the hell were you reeling?" You looked down at the untattered lure.

"I felt something! I know i had her!" Noctis pounded his fist into his hand.

"Let's pack it up. The sun isn't even in the right spot anymore." Prompto pointed up, "Maybe you can try again tomorrow?"

Just like that his window of opportunity had been sealed. He knew it too, but it still sucked to have it within grasp just to let it go.

"Dammit..." The prince grumbled under his breath. "Fine.. let's just pack it up."

As he reached for his gear, Noctis nearly stumbled off into the water. The pier shook violently, and you didn't even think this area was prone to earthquakes.

The three of you knelt low to keep balance. As you faced the water, you could see a massive serpent arise from the depths.

Pretty sure your life flashed before your eyes, because friendly was probably not a good word to describe this thing.

"It's her! The Gold Queen!" Notics whispered loudly.

You were all keeping your voices down to prevent catching the eye of the water beast. You hoped you could just blend in with the pier and be left alone.

"What? I thought that was just some old folklore." You looked at the creature as you patted down your pockets. "I'm calling Gladio. That thing is not gonna let us out of here alive."

"What, what? You didn't think it actually existed, yet you brought us 5 miles deep into the woods?!" The prince rose his voice at you.

"Keep it down... shit!" You realized in that moment that you left your phone back at the lodge.

Well the good thing about dying here was that you were at least with friends.

The serpent snapped back and abruptly aimed for the bridge. It was slow, so at least there was enough time to react. You pushed Noctis and Prompto away and dove on the other side.

Now you were all sitting ducks inside the water. The planks from the pier were broken, so it'd have to be a swim from here. You all couldn't make it back to the shore without it attacking at least one of you, and you'd rather be that one.

"Noctis! Toss me your fishing knife. You and Prompto get the hell out of here!" You yelled.

"What?! No!" Noct seemed offended even by the suggestion.

"We're not leaving you!" Prompto chimed in.

You chuckled lowly, "If that thing kills you and I happen to make it out alive, I'll be as good as dead anyway. What's the price to pay for the prince's head again?"

He was conflicted. Why would you put this on his head right now? Leaving behind one of his oldest friends was not even in question, but he knew you were serious in your resolve.

"Go find Gladio and Ignis! I got this!" You reassured the two.

"Shit!" Noctis swore as he tossed you the knife, "We're coming right back!"

You put your fingers to your lips and whistled at the serpent "Over here baby."

This was a test of your own strength. If you couldn't take on this serpent, you probably wouldn't fare well in your leave. You told Noctis to get the other guys, but really you wanted to leave this in your own hands.

This "Gold Queen" was way out of your league and you knew it. Still, it was time to stop shooting arrows at still targets in an abandoned warehouse, and start fighting for real.

No, a knife wasn't your weapon of choice, but you wouldn't always be with a bow. This was a personal test to see if you would you sink or swim.


	17. Time to Go

**Hilltop : 8:18am : 146 days**

You stared the beast in its eyes. If this didn't get your adrenaline pumping than nothing would. By now Noctis and Prompto were long gone. Damn you were nervous to be by yourself, but hey, you'd rather it be you than them. First rule of fighting, be on your own turf. If you could just make it back to land, you'd be okay.

The serpent reared back as if to coil up before another strike. Kicking your legs and swimming as fast as you could, you headed straight for the shore. The gargantuan beast struck again, and by the split of a hair you were able to roll out of its radius.

"Shit!" You yelled as the massive waves carried you away.

With everything you had, you swam to the dirt. Sweet, sweet land. There was almost a smile that cracked on your face.

You carried the knife in your hand and looked at the serpent. Running was futile. It would just come after you.

You thought back to your training, and maybe now you could put some of your evasive skills into use. At least until the guys came back.

"Alright, everything has a weakness." You spoke aloud, "She's slow, and judging by those beady eyes she can't see. Hmm."

The gold queen came back once again and this time you waited for her. She struck, and instead of dodging, you hopped onto the serpent and clung for dear life.

The gold scales were beautiful, and you could tell they would sell for a high price if one were to put them on the market.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea. She could constrict you, or drown you. Now that it already happened these thoughts popped into your mind. You didn't want to kill this legendary creature, but at least hurt it enough so that it wouldn't follow you.

You shifted downwards toward her vitals and held the knife in your mouth. Just a small cut, nothing major.

"This'll only hurt a little." You spoke, getting ready to stab the hell out of this thing.

Just as your arm swung down, you saw something gleaming in the water. It was a lot of gleaming something's actually.

"Oh no!" You gasped.

Tiny golden serpents were ready to feast on you. They were the Gold Queen's children perhaps, and you were a mere snack. She whipped back, throwing you off of her and back into the water. You could feel the bodies of these tiny serpents wrapping around your arms and legs. They were dragging you under.

You whipped your arms and legs around, trying not to be dragged under. All you could do was resist, but it seemed like the more you fought, the tighter the grip was. Taking an even closer look now, you could see that these weren't tiny serpents. It was the Gold Queen's split tail, and now you knew you were in trouble. It made sense as to why you couldn't fight them off.

Your eyes remained open, even in the murky water. Air bubbles surfaced from your slowly depleting lungs. It was a shame you wouldn't live to at least see the end of your days, you thought. Wildlife never seemed this dangerous on television. You couldn't give up, not like this, but your arms were strapped tight.

The serpent constricted your arms to the point of nearly crushing it. You didn't know what would kill you first; your bones crushing, or drowning. Probably both.

Your right arm was literally being twisted back in a way it never reached before. Felt like it was being pulled back and lifted. You felt something pop, but at this point your lungs were hurting you more than anything.

Still clenching tightly to the knife, there was nothing you could do. Time was ticking down, and you were at your limit. You needed air, and the light from the morning sky was fading the further you went down. Damn... so this was it.

Your eyes remained open and you watched as the last air bubbles in your lung floated upwards. Just as quickly as it dragged you down, the grip of the serpent began to loosen, and suddenly it had completely let go. Didn't matter what happened now though. You couldn't swim back up, no way.

You felt a rough hand grab your wrist. You were being pulled up and out of the water. It was almost poetic the way you were lifted toward the light.

Once you surfaced, you immediately coughed and regurgitated the murky water that was lodged in your throat. Your eyes were blurred, but you felt arms carrying you toward land.

"Gladio?" You coughed violently before rubbing your eyes.

Upon reopening your eyes, you saw just who you thought, Gladio. The serpent was retreating, and the others were waiting at the end of the broken pier.

You turned around and saw Ignis throw a final dagger before the serpent swam back to its comforting depths. He came back and walked beside the taller man as he just helped finish off whatever happened up here.

"What happened." Your airy voice cracked as you still had a bit of water in your throat.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Gladio rose his voice.

It honestly scared you. He never took a tone like that before. Not speaking directly to you anyway.

"You could have died! All three of you! Sneaking off like that was stupid! You know that don't you?!"

You pulled away from Gladio and stumbled to your feet. "I just did what you would do! Would you have preferred we all three risk our lives?!"

"I am trained for situations like this! What I would have preferred is you three to not sneak off in the first place!"

Noctis and Prompto obviously already got a good scolding, you could tell by the way they weren't saying much of anything.

"We just wanted to hang out! We haven't done it in a while! Is that a fucking crime?!" You huffed.

"And look where that got you? Almost dead!" He barked back.

He wasn't upset that you wanted to hang out with your friends, he was upset that you walked right into danger and nearly got yourself killed. The fact that you weren't acknowledging that you could have died was what bothered him the most.

"You can't just run off because you feel like it. You need to think first."

Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked up at him. He was totally in the right, but you didn't enjoy being yelled at one bit.

You pointed at Noctis and Prompto, "Okay these two might let you yell at them, but I'm not! We were totally in the wrong. Is that what you wanna hear? It's done Gladiolus."

It did sink in. You knew what you did was wrong, but more than that you didn't like to upset the man. It made you sad to fight with him, especially since it was about your well being.

There it was again; your sickeningly sweet eyes. He couldn't yell at you. Were you doing that on purpose? You and these damn puppy eyes.

"Don't let it happen again. All three of you. I mean it." The large man added.

You all began to head back and Ignis turned to you. "Are you alright now?"

You turned to Gladio, sticking out your tongue, "Glad someone asked. Anyway, I'm fine. Damn thing twisted my arm pretty good, but nothing serious. Definitely not gonna miss this second day of fun!"

Oh yes! This may have been another monkey wrench thrown your way, but you still had so much planned.

"I told you I'd plan some stuff so... zip lining! Whatcha think?" Your large grin was almost terrifying. You were so happy at the suggestion, even after nearly having died a few minutes ago.

"I'm game." Noctis pulled at his damp clothes. "We're all wet though. Should probably change and then head over."

Ignis nodded, "I second that notion."

"Alright! Change and then zip line!" The blond boy cheered."

Noct turned to the boy, "Thought you were afraid of heights."

Prompto shook his head, "It's not all that high. I've seen zip lines."

.

 **Cedar Tree Forest : 3:27pm : 146 days**

"This is so high!" Prompto shook in his little boots. "I am not going first!"

You all stood at the peak of the mountain. This is where the true snow was. There was a bite to the wind up here, but it was gorgeous. You would see every little detail from up here, and you'd see it even clearer on your way down.

"Ladies first as they say." You waved to the boys as you got hooked up. "I don't know who's next, but just make sure Prompto isn't last or he'll never go."

"You're cruel, you know that?!" The pouty boy looked at you as you sped off.

You waved at the boys, "Yes I am, but my cruelty will only lead you to cool and amazing new experiences Prompt!"

You glided down with the wind in your hair and sun on your skin. It was so freeing to be up here. Just left you with your thoughts.

That legendary serpent nearly killed you today. Your hands rose to stretch upwards, and you felt a tinge in your arm.

"Ah!" You quickly retracted. It would seem your shoulder was a bit more banged up than you thought.

You wished this zip line would just stop mid run so you could enjoy this view even longer. Man your life was weird. Your still gloved hand grabbed the red diamond necklace and fiddled with it. Still there.

It was quick, but with an abrupt stop your ride was over. You wished you could do that again, but there was more day to kill.

"That was fun." You spoke to the instructor on the other side as he unhooked you.

He guided you off to the side where there was a safe seating area. You waited for your friends to join you. Lifting your arm again, you felt that shooting pain. When would that go away? Guess you shouldn't worry too bad. It was probably from hyperextension, and it just happened this morning. Pain should die down by nightfall.

After a while longer of waiting, you felt a hand on your shoulder, "You alright squirt?"

"Yeah." You smiled at Noctis.

"Hey, thanks for saving my ass back there. But the risk wasn't worth it. I won't let that happen again."

You giggled, "I'm alive, aren't I? Don't sweat it." You nudged him with your elbow. "No one told you? You can't kill The Great Anak!"

You grinned proudly as Noctis burst into laughter.

"Don't let Prompto hear you say that. He'll never stop repeating it. But seriously though... I won't let a situation like that happen again. We could have lost you."

Shaking your head, you smiled, "So dramatic Mr. Lucis Caelum. But thank you. Guess there's a reason the Gold Queen remains a legend huh?"

The prince placed his hand under his chin and waited for the others to show. The two of you perked up upon hearing a dog bark.

"Umbra?" Noctis' eyes widened.

You smiled upon seeing the dog, "Oh, looks like the love messenger is back."

"Shut up!" The boy rolled his eyes.

"Come on! Show me ONE page. I just wanna know what type of sweet stuff you write to Luna. Did you tell her about me? Tell her I said hi!" You laughed.

Noct picked up the notebook and smiled at whatever was written. You never met Luna, or even saw what was in that notebook, but whatever it was must have been sweet. Every time he looked at it he smiled as though it were the first time.

He looked up from the book, "She already knows about you. Sends her best. Happy?"

You crossed your arms, "You're totally making that up so I can be quiet aren't you?" You extended your arm, "Lemme see."

"No way!" He pulled back the book. "I'm not lying though. She does know who you are. Just let me do this."

"Fine." You shrugged, "Pfffft, all I wanted to do was say hi to the great Lady Lunafreya, but I guess I'll let the lover boy do his bidding."

You waved over Umbra, "Come here boy!"

As you pet the dog you thought about their relationship. Luna was a girl that he never admitted loving but you knew he did. Why else would he be single for all this time, and get so happy when Umbra showed up with a notebook? You only wished to have a quick peek inside, but hell, it was his business.

He closed the book and strapped it back to the dog. "Thanks boy."

You waved, "Bye Umbra! Tell m'lady that I exist since clearly Noctis won't!"

He gave you a death glare after those words, "I told you. She knows that you exist. She knows about all of my friends."

"So if she came here today, like right now without you present, she'd know who I was?" Your eyebrows rose.

"Probably not. I didn't describe you in full detail. The notebook isn't about you!"

You pouted, "Guess your right... whatever..."

As you waited a bit longer, you started to notice how long it was taking for the next person to get down here. You walked over to a pair of coin binoculars and looked though.

"Yup, just as I thought." You looked back at Noctis and sighed, "Prompto is being a little shit. We'll probably be here a while."

Walking back to the table, you sat down and fiddled with your necklace once again.

"Do you remember when we first met?" You smirked; not making eye contact with the prince, but looking straight ahead.

"How could I forget some 13 year old girl climbing through the window of my car with a scared look on her face?"

Your hand came up to cover your mouth as you laughed, "I remember being so afraid, and you had no idea what was going on."

"That's when you first attacked me with the sad puppy look." He shook his head.

You sighed, "I remember running away from these bullies that were chasing me. Threatened to take my new purse. Shit middle school sucked, but if it weren't for them I would have never even met you. So in a way-"

"What they did was still wrong. Don't go thanking some bullies for our meeting, you didn't deserve that." He spoke sternly to you.

"Guess you're right, but still, it's so strange how things could have worked out differently. Like, what if I didn't decide to run that way. What if I wasn't running at all. What if your window was up? What if your driver had been standing by your window and didn't let me jump in?" You panicked a little just at the thought.

"We would have met still. Probably through Prompto or something." His blue eyes looked into yours, "Trust me."

He could be right. You did sit next to Prompto for your first year in high school. Noctis and he met on their own, but you hit it off with the blond boy pretty well. It was almost like you were destined to become best friends immediately. Yeah, if not for hopping through the young prince's window, you would have met him though Prompto.

"That was fun!"

You turned your head to see the young blond boy finally having come down the zip line.

"Speak of the devil." You walked over to him, "Took you long enough puss in boots."

He began to get unhooked from his harness, "I wasn't that scared! I just wanted to make sure it was stable is all!"

"You saw me go first didn't you. Pretty sure if it didn't break on me it wouldn't break on your scrawny ass." You poked the boy's side.

You three laughed. It was nice sharing a moment like this with your two best friends. That was all that you were looking for in the first place when you snuck off earlier, but you had to face the facts. What you did was stupid, and it wouldn't just be you three anymore. Gladiolus and Ignis were your best friends too. You shouldn't have left them behind.

The other two shortly followed, and you felt like a proper apology was in order.

"Hey, Iggy, Gladio." You waved them over. "I wanna apologize properly for leaving you guys. I don't want you to feel like I intentionally left you out or anything like that... well, I did, but it was only to reminisce. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that, you guys are my best friends and I'm sorry."

Prompto nodded, "Yeah, me too."

"Noctis." You both looked back and spoke in unison.

He sighed, "Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry... but you two don't get the single bed tonight."

"What?!" You yelled, "Gladio won that match fair and square! Plus I was the runner up, so the bed would fall back on me."

The prince narrowed his eyes. You were kinda right.

"However, in the spirit of fairness, I'd gladly relinquish the bed rights and share with Iggy if he so pleases." You looked at the man.

"Wait?! You and Ignis are gonna sleep in the same bed?!" Prompto yelled.

Oh, oh dear why? Why did he have to yell that out loud? That wasn't what you were suggesting at all actually. Considering what he knew about you two, well, that brief moment, it made things even more painfully awkward. You could feel that heat rising to your cheeks. It was embarrassing to have this resurfaced all over again.

Ah how the forest was ever so quiet on this gorgeous afternoon. Not even the birds would peep a chirp after that comment. Not a throat cleared, and not even an eye batted.

"Dammit Prompto! No not me and Iggy!" You broke the silence, "Why would I ever suggest that?! I meant him having the bed by himself! If-he-so-pleases!"

You were fighting the urge to strangle the poor freckled boy. He didn't mean to blurt that out, but he was just shocked at what he thought you suggested.

Ignis shook his head, "No, no. It's quite alright."

He had a good poker face, and one that you were a bit jealous of. There were still little signs he displayed that told you he was caught off guard by the comment though. For instance, him clearing his throat and adjusting his shirt as he spoke.

"Well then that means the bed's ours." You stuck out your tongue at Noct. "But hey..."

You walked in front of the group with your hands coyly behind your back. "I was thinking for our last day of glamping we could do something really fun."

"Oh?" Gladio crossed his arms, "And we haven't had fun thus far?"

"No, we have." You nodded, "With a few exceptions. But I mean, I think we should go home."

Noctis frowned, "That's what you consider really fun?"

"I was being sarcastic when I said fun. I thought I wanted to go camping, but it turned out I couldn't even handle glamping! To avoid possibly getting into another unfortunate situation I think we should just spend this last night here and then go home."

Was this the trip from hell or what? Yeah it had its pockets of fun, and you definitely got closer to Gladio, but you just wanted to call it a trip. What really changed your mind was your hyperextending your shoulder. You didn't wanna freak them out by making it into a big deal, but if you wanted to get back to training normally in a few days, you'd need your rest. Tubing and base jumping like you planned was not gonna cut it.

"Listen, I'll tough out another day if you guys want to, but-"

"No, let's go home." Prompto cut you off. There was almost desperation in his voice. "I-I just miss seeing the city is all."

You looked at the others, "Any objections?"

"Well..." Gladio spoke. "We should probably eat at least before we call it a day."

There was a sigh of relief. You thought for a second that he was going to say he wanted to stay another day.

"Yeah, lets do that!" You smiled.

.

 **Cedar Tree Restaurant : 6:45pm : 146 days**

Twinkling lights hung from the veranda outside. There was a nice view of the lake. Not the one you were at earlier, no, but one safer and closer to the lodge. A large bon fire burned, and the lit candles seared in the middle of a glass centerpiece on each table.

The meal was delicious. You'd like to say it was the best you had in a long time, but that would be an insult to Ignis. His cooking was hard to rival, but this was quite satisfying. You all sat at your tables just chatting away and relishing in the gorgeous lake view.

You held your arms as the chilly breeze rolled though. Of course that was never a problem with Gladio nearby. He put an arm around you as you all looked up at the forming stars in the fading sky. This is what you imagined when you said camping. Not falling into a pit, or getting almost killed.

Delicately you rested your head on your boyfriend's chest. This was yet another one for the memory bank, but of course your anxiety riddled mind couldn't just keep it at that. No, you had to think of leaving again, and how this would be a perfect time to tell everyone.

Perhaps not though... you still needed to have a talk with Ignis, and of all people you knew he could be quite the steel trap with secrets. Shouldn't be too difficult, but of course it would wind up being that way.

"I... have something to say." You sat up and inhaled deeply. Your eyes directed downwards. "I..."

All eyes were on you. Just spit it out already. If you came out with it now then it would be easier saying goodbye when the time came. At least they would have time to mentally prepare for that date.

"I..." You repeated, "I just wanted to say that I really love you guys. Thanks for coming on this trip with me."

Cold feet. The words could barely even surface in your brain let alone slip your lips. Maybe it was better to end this trip on a high note anyway. It scared you how close you were to saying it.

"Awwww!" Prompto couldn't help but utter out.

Gladio squeezed you a bit tighter, "I love you too."

"Gross." Noctis rolled his eyes.

You sighed sharply in defense, "Gross?! This is coming from the most starry-eyed guy I know."

You put your hands on your cheeks and began to mock him. "Oh Lunafreya, I love you so much! No, there are no other girls in my life. Especially none that I've known for 5 years now."

"Shut up!" His cheeks turned rosy as you mocked him.

The table didn't hold back on their laughter as they knew what you said carried weight. It was nice to share a laugh, even if it were at Noctis' expense. Hey, he did that to himself. Should have never called your love gross!

You sat back once more and the light conversation continued as you looked up at the stars. Guess you were fully charged now. This was what you needed before going back to school again.

You nestled a little closer to Gladio and grit your teeth once again at your shoulder. Even if it were hyperextended, it shouldn't hurt THAT bad still. Deep down it made you a little worried. Might have to get it checked out once you got back. You just hoped it was nothing serious; nothing long term.


	18. Girl's Day

**Amicitia Manor : 12:34pm : 139 day**

"Guess what? You and I are gonna hang out aaaaall day today. Just the two of us." You pointed your finger with a smile of annoying delight on your face.

"What?" Gladio cocked his head to the side.

You shooed the man away with the wave of your hand, "You don't have a say in this Gladiolus. It's about me and your sister."

The girl didn't know what to say. This was really out of the blue. Plus, why would she ever want to hang out with you anyway?

"What do you say? It'll just be you, me, and a day of girl stuff." You looked at the girl with a welcoming smile.

"I think it's a good idea." Gladio nodded. "I'll drive you."

Now normally you'd decline, but it would help. Not only that Gladio was VERY protective of his little sister. He wasn't gonna let anyone take her away all day without knowing where she was going. Not even his own girlfriend.

Iris was awfully quiet. You hoped it wasn't a mistake doing this. Still, you knew getting closer to Gladio meant getting close to Iris. Plus you wanted to get to the bottom of her hating you.

It was so weird how you almost felt like you were taking on the role of a step-mother. Though this wasn't his daughter, as protective as he was, she may as well have been.

"Let's get going." You gave thumbs up, "We've got daylight to burn."

.

 **Nail Salon : 1:00pm : 139 days**

"Have a good time you two." Gladio waved as you two exited the car.

"We will." You reassured him. "Don't worry."

The two of you entered the shop, and the smell of nail powder and rubbing alcohol hit you like a speeding semi. You hoped so badly that this day wouldn't backfire. With no words exchanged between the two of you, you could tell it might be a little awkward to begin with.

You approached the desk. "Alright, we would like to get a mani-pedi." Your eyes directed toward the girl, "Is that okay?"

She nodded, "Mhmm."

Still a little icy; but maybe she'd loosen up when they started on her hands and feet.

The woman behind the counter smiled, "Alright, please pick out a color on the wall."

The two of you walked over to large wall of nail polishes and you pondered which one to pick. You did a lot of reds and blacks... maybe blue this time. You looked over to see Iris pick up the black nail polish without much thought.

"Why black?" You questioned. Strange seeing a 12 year old pick a color that wasn't bright pink or green.

"I like it. It looks pretty cool." She replied casually.

You had to remind yourself that she was 12 and not 5. She was a kid, but not a little kid. She could be talked to a bit more freely than if she were younger. You'd do well to remember that.

"You know who else thinks black nail polish is cool?" You turned your attention back to the nail polishes on the wall, "Noctis."

She never mentioned being interested or even having a crush on the prince, but kids had a bad poker face when it came to those things. When you all were at Adventure Park she could have easily chosen Prompto to be on the rides beside her, but every single one she chose Noct. Her little crush was cute. Talking about him could be your angle into a better relationship with the girl.

"Really?" Her eyes widened just a hair.

You nodded, "Yup, and Prompto too. But I know for sure Noctis likes it... just not on his own hands." You giggled.

Finally you settled on nice purple-red color. It was almost like a wine color; very nice for the winter. As you reached for it you realized there would be much work done on your hands today. Damn they were still worn.

You two were guided to the seats and waited for the water to fill up in the tub for your feet. What do little girls talk about anyway, you wondered? Maybe it was best to continue on with Noctis. At least she gave you some feedback with that.

Your arms rested against the chair as you glanced over to the girl, "So, got any boys at school you like?"

She shook her head fiercely; her short hair waving around as she did. "No way."

A smirk moseyed its way onto your face as you placed your chin atop your hand, "Oh come on. Gladio isn't here. I know he doesn't want you to think or talk about boys ever, but it's a part of growing up. So c'mon; there's gotta be at least one boy you like."

"There really isn't." She looked back at you with fictitious eyes.

"Really, not even, I dunno... Noctis?" You turned away with that sinister glint in your eye.

Through your peripheral you could see her face turn bright red. It was a little satisfying, you had to admit.

Your shoulders came up to a shrug, "That's my best friend as you know, so if you wanted to know some things about him I was going to let you ask me anything. But since you don't I guess it doesn't matter."

You dipped your feet into the jet pool beneath you. With your body relaxed, you leaned your head back in the chair and closed your eyes.

"Don't worry, nothing wrong with not liking boys at that age. When I was 12 I remember just wanting friends." You chuckled.

Your feet lifted from the water as they began to get massaged.

"Foot massages are all well and good, but no one gives em quite as good as Glad-"

You stopped yourself from continuing. Probably wasn't best to tell a 12 year old what amazing foot massages her brother gives.

"-is... Gladis from the spa was amazing... is what I was saying." Your eyes shifted left and right.

Clearing your throat, you changed the subject, "So what do you wanna do after this? Ice cream?"

Yeah that was perfect for Winter weather; ice cream. Wow, you really did feel like a stepmom. It was like she was your new step child that you were trying to bond with.

"Sure." She placed her hand out for the manicurist to start.

"Can I ask you something?" You nearly cut off her words. "Do you not like me because of something I did?"

Your hand moved to the manicurist so they could start working on it. The reason you asked wasn't to start unnecessary drama, but to clear the air. It might have been too early in this hang out to be asking, but tip toeing would get you nowhere.

"I never said I didn't like you." She shook her head.

Yeah, she didn't say it, but you knew the truth. Maybe it wasn't best to press the girl on these issues. This could be an opportunity to build from where you were right now. Gain trust so to speak.

The mani-pedi ensued, and you'd just enjoy this. Your time off was quite valued. You'd have a stack of homework when you returned home, so may as well have some pretty hands to do it with.

Besides a bit of idle chit-chat, there wasn't much of a word exchange between the two of you. Again, why were you doing this? Well if anything it should make Gladiolus feel better about you as a girlfriend.

Didn't take long for them to finish up. You paid with a grateful smile and headed out of the salon doors. Sandals in bone chilling weather was always fun.

"Thank you." Iris finally spoke to you with what sounded like a genuine tone.

"Of course." You smiled. "Hey, I never get to have a girls day considering all of my friends are guy's, so thank you too."

The shop wasn't too far away, just a few blocks. Shouldn't be too bad of a walk. Suddenly you heard the girl's feet stop walking, and you quickly turned around to see what the matter was.

"Something wrong?" You questioned.

"Oh no." She spoke in somewhat of a panic. "I dropped my necklace."

Keeping a cool head, you pursed your lips to one side, "Well I'm sure if we retrace your steps we'll find it."

"No..." She shook her head, "I know where it is." She pointed at the sewer grate below you. "I just took it off for a second to readjust and it slipped out of my hands."

Well here you were faced with a difficult decision. You could just walk away and forget about the damn thing, or risk getting wet with all of the town's raw sewage. For a damn necklace?! Why the hell was she readjusting it anyway. Oh hell no, you were going to have to pass on this one.

"Listen Iris, I can just g-" You stopped as you saw her eyes watering.

Please no! Don't get yourself sucked into this. She just looked so sad though.

"It was my mom's..." She spoke with a shaky voice. Not just from sadness, but almost like she was scared as well.

Dammit! Shit! Fuck! Why, you thought?! Why did she have to tell you that? She could have just told you that Gladio gave it to her and that you could have walked away from easily. Even if Clarus gave it to her, but the mom?! Now you had to get your ass down there in that sewer and you knew it.

"I... will... get... it..?" You said with no conviction at all.

Locking your fingers, you lifted the grate up and moved it over. It was quite heavy, but not too bad.

"Stand back." You said in a monotone.

You began to slowly descend on the short ladder to the side. It was both smelly and dark down here. You could barely see. The only help was from the gloomy brightness above, and that definitely wasn't enough. You stopped one rung above the disgusting sewage water.

Your eyes looked around trying to find the damn thing. "Please tell me it didn't sink to the bottom. I literally cannot do this." You spoke lowly to yourself.

Lucky for you the necklace in fact did not sink to the bottom. The liquid was so thick that it was right in place. Holding on with one hand, you reached out for the necklace but it was too far. You prayed you wouldn't fall in. Anything but that!

Once again you outstretched your arm and you almost had it. You loosened your grip so you could reach out just a little bit more and bingo! You had to touch the disgusting water, but boiling your hand was much better than your whole body.

"I got it!" You yelled up to Iris and you climbed with the mucky necklace in your hand.

As you reached up, that tinge in your shoulder came to bite, and you lost your grip.

"No!" You screamed as you caught yourself just in time. Well, just in time for you to be drenched in sewage up to your knees. "Fuck!"

Okay, maybe it wasn't cool to swear in the presence of Iris, but you couldn't hold your tongue on that one. It's fine, you just had to get your legs amputated now is all.

After climbing up out of the sewer, you put the grate back and stood motionless like the disgusting person you currently were.

"Let's get this necklace... and myself cleaned up before we do anything else okay?" You spoke through literally tears of torment.

"Thank you so much!" She gleefully cheered from a distance; rightfully so.

After making a quick stop at a nearby gym to shower up, you two were back on track. Now you didn't have a membership there, but you did pay for a one time entrance fee just to use there showers, and like hell you were bringing that scent home.

So here you were in your new gym clothes that you bought. Fitted running pants, sneakers, a plain green t-shirt, and the smell of lavender mint. Not your favorite scent by any means, but it was better than smelling like complete and total shit, so no complaints there.

As the two of you continued to walk along, you finally reached the ice cream shop. It was a nice little shop. Not too many people inside. There were metal tables and chairs spread out, and a glass display of the many varieties. Of course being an ice cream enthusiast, you already tried them all once before.

"Get whatever." You spoke to the girl as you looked at the delicious sweet desserts. "Gladio may not let you eat a king sized portion of ice cream, but I know tummy aches are a rite of passage when you're a kid."

You walked over to the counter, "I'll take a bowl, one scoop of raspberry shortcake."

You weren't really feeling ice cream after having the image of raw sewage in your head, but you knew Iris would which is why you came in the first place.

"And for you?" You looked back at Iris.

"Hmmm, four scoops. Cake batter, banana, rocky road, and sherbet in a waffle bowl with sprinkles please." Finally you saw some serious light in her eyes as she ordered that freakish concoction.

After paying for the dessert, you two walked over and sat at one of the open seats. It was nice to see her so happy for once while she was in the presence of you. Even if she never ended up liking you, at least you tried. That you could live with.

"All Gladdy ever does is hang out with you..." The small girl set down her spoon. She refused to make eye contact as she spoke, "That's why I was a little distant."

Well that was out of the blue. You weren't even going to bring that up again. Felt good knowing that you weren't crazy though.

"He works a lot, and then when he has time off he goes to hang out with you." She continued as her voice began to get downhearted.

It was kind of sad hearing her say that. It was true though. He dedicated a lot of his free time to you and the guys. It wasn't like he spent no time at home, but you could understand where she was coming from.

"If your fear is that I'm trying take your place..." You gave a snarky laugh, "...well then I came to the wrong family."

You continued to eat your ice cream as you set the record straight. "I couldn't take Gladiolus from you if I tried."

You set your bowl on the table and leaned in a bit, "Let me tell you something. I love your brother, and if he called me in the middle of the night just so I could hand him the remote that was next to him I'd do it. And I know he'd do the same for me... but if it was you and I stuck on the side of a mountain and he could only save one person, he'd save you no questions asked."

The girl shook her head, "That doesn't sound like him. He would save both of us, or die trying."

A snicker crept out of your throat as she made a totally good point. You couldn't help but laugh. It was so true. He would either save both of you or in some freak accident end up getting all three of you killed from trying to do too much. Iris cracked a smile and laughed right along with you.

"Geez, you know him very well. I'll give you that." You wiped the tear from your eye.

"But hey, what I want you to take away is this: you're always gonna be his best girl. Nothing can change that. Now when it comes to hanging out with you more, I'll be sure to let him know, okay?"

The brunette nodded, "That sounds good.. um..." She hesitated before she spoke again. "There's something else."

Your eyebrows rose and your lips pursed in quite the whimsical manner. "Oh? Do tell."

She timidly swirled around her ice cream with her spoon. "I do like someone.. but you can't tell anyone, especially Gladdy. Promise me."

"Scouts honor, I will not." You nodded, "Who's the lucky boy?" You played along as if you didn't know already.

"It's Noctis." Her face went bright red. "Gladdy would kick my ass if he knew."

You chuckled, "Gladdy would kick your ass if he knew you were out here talking like that... but like I said, I'm not him so I don't care."

You finished up the rest of you ice cream and threw it in the trash, "But good choice. Noctis is quite the gentleman. If there's anything you want to know about him, I'm your gal."

Before the conversation could continue, you felt your phone buzz. It was a text.

'Compound in 1 hour.'

Damn, you know what that meant.

You sighed as you looked up at Iris, "Listen, I just got a text from my aunt. She needs me home. I'm gonna call Gladio to come pick you up. I'll wait with you though, is that okay?"

She nodded, "Yes. I understand."

You shot a text to Gladio telling him what was up. Should only be about 15 minutes before he arrived. Time was of the essence, and you knew if you were late you'd get the chewing out if a lifetime. Also, if you left Iris in the middle of downtown by herself, you probably wouldn't have a boyfriend to come back to.

You clapped your hands once, "Okay! Back to Noctis. Any questions?" You focused back on Iris.

"Hmmm." Iris thought, "What are some things he likes?"

"Two words." You held up your fingers. "Junk-food. Boy always has a bag of skittles on him, and he loves dessert. Bake him a delicious cake and he won't leave your side."

You partially bit your bottom lip as a grin cascaded its way on your face. "Now that I told you what Noctis likes, you have to tell me what Gladio likes."

This was your beloved boyfriend after all. Of course you knew plenty about him, but Valentine's Day was coming up, and honestly you had no idea how to celebrate. Any tips on things he liked were appreciated.

"Cup Noodles." Iris spoke without hesitation. "Pretty sure he loves them more than both of us combined."

You put your hands over your face as you laughed, "Cup Noodles?!"

What the hell? Did he really love it that much?! If you presented yourself in a steaming hot bowl of instant noodles would he just lose his shit? Gross.

You wouldn't give it anymore thought as Gladio entered the shop.

"Hey, you guys have fun?" Gladio grinned at you both.

"We did." You nodded, "But unfortunately I have to go."

The man frowned as he looked at your attire, "Weren't you wearing something different when you left?"

You nodded, "Long story. I'll tell you about it later."

Iris waved to you, "Thank you. I had fun. Let's do it again sometime."

"Will do." You waved back.

.

 **Unknown : 2:08pm : 139 days**

"Five targets! Bullseye! Go!" The black garbed woman yelled at you.

Pulling back on the string of your bow, you got into position and released.

"Dammit!" You yelled pulling back your stance.

You staggered back nearly falling to the cold concrete below you. Your eyes glanced at the steel arrow far from the target.

"What is going on?" The woman approached you more concerned than upset.

"It's my shoulder." You grunted. "I can't raise it."

It would seem now that the anger set in. Why were you hurt, she wondered? Of course you knew, but even a few days after the incident your shoulder didn't hurt too bad. Just when you were taking off your shirt. You didn't think it would follow you to your training however.

"Let me see." She placed one hand delicately atop your shoulder and one at your elbow.

The woman moved it up down left and right. Each direction hurt, but especially up. She tilted it up even further and you instinctively yanked your arm away with tear filled eyes. It wasn't that you were one to cry over this pain, but it was your body's natural reaction.

"What have you done?" She backed away from you; raising her voice to a thunderous yell, "What have you done?!"

"It was an accident." Your head shook. "I was out camping and I ran into the Gold Queen."

The black sleeve on her arm rolled back to reveal more of the scars on her body as she placed her hand to her forehead. You never saw her this upset before. She couldn't even speak. The soles of her shoes clicked against the cement floor as she paced back and forth. What was she to do with you?

"Time should heal it right?" You spoke in a panic. You tried to reach for a solution. Any solution. "O-or-or maybe I can just get surgery?"

Finally she stopped walking and her daffodil eyes nearly pierced through your soul. If only looks could kill, you'd be 6 feet under by now.

"Time will not heal that! The tendons in your shoulder are severed. Not completely, but enough."

"W-what? How do you know that? Maybe it's just a pulled muscle? Hyperextension!" You turned away from the woman in disbelief.

Her hand grabbed at your good shoulder and roughly turned you back to face her. "You would doubt my judgement?"

She was right; you shouldn't have done that. She knew a lot about combat, including injuries. From all her time spent as a commanding officer, she was pretty keen when it came to these things.

"What do we do then? ...What do I do?" Your fearful eyes begged hers for a simple resolution.

Her tight grip released your shoulder, "The way I see it, there are only two options. Both of which will upset you, but I will let you decide which is the lesser of two evils."

So that was it? Only two options? You gulped down your saliva as you listened attentively.

"First option is to quit."

"What?" You eyes amplified, and your jaw hung in place. It was as if in that moment you forgot even how to breathe. "What?" You repeated.

"Give all of this up. All of your training; everything."

No, she couldn't be telling the truth. This was a bluff, it had to be. For all of your complaints about not wanting your days to end, it was also a journey that you were never planning to actually give up. Too much work had gone into this to turn tail now.

The woman held up a second finger, "The other option is as you said; surgery."

Okay, why didn't she start off with that? It was a way more simple option than just quitting. Then again, she said you weren't going to like either option, so what was the twist here?

"Alright." You nodded, "What else?"

"I would have to put you through vigorous training after you recovered; to keep you up to par. It would be like nothing you ever experienced before."

Yeah, she definitely should have started off with this option. You could handle the tough training.

"Easy." You shrugged, "I guess I'm not exactly thrilled about this option, but It's not too bad."

"That wasn't the part you wouldn't like." She continued. "If we get your surgery done in the next couple of days, your recovery could take up to 3 weeks. To account for that missed time including now, not to mention reintroducing your shoulder to your weapons... that would take about 60 days."

She didn't let you get a word in to protest. Instead, she continued. "I told you the training would be like nothing you ever experienced. To fill that time quota, you'd have to leave Insomnia with me."

How could you even begin to form a sentence? The words just weren't coming together. Why? This was quite the ultimatum, and one that you had to figure out now. The further you pushed it back, the worse it would be.

A light smile parted your lips. No, not light, full on. You paced back a few steps and put a hand to your forehead as you began to chuckle. It escalated into an outright fit of laughter. You threw your bow to the ground, and the sound of metal hitting the concrete ricocheted off of the creaky walls.

You leaned over to hold your stomach as you laughed. Tears rolled down your cheeks as you intentionally fell back to the ground. Your back pressed against the cold surface. Eyes looking up at the dusty unstable roof of this abandoned warehouse. Finally the laughter stopped and there were only tears. Tears of grief; tears of remorse.

Your eyes remained still on the roof, barely even blinking. Finally you broke the silence with your stern voice. The tears still streamed down, but your voice was not unsteady in the least.

"So you're telling me I can either just quit, or cut the days that I have left virtually in half?" You shook your head with the slightest movement, "I've been through too much... I've sacrificed too much to see all of that go to waste."

You could hear the shoes of this woman once again clicking in your ears as she approached you. "Do you have an answer?"

"Yes..." You nodded, "My back is against the wall now isn't it?" Finally you looked away from the ceiling and into her eyes, "I just have one question... Where are we going?"


	19. The First Time

**Home : 5:28pm : 133 days**

"You need to tell them. The longer you wait the worse it'll be." Prompto spoke with wide eyes.

The two of you were once again hanging out; getting a little homework done. Of course you were only talking about one thing; your leave. You were just finishing up as Prompto held your lazy bloodhound in his arms.

Your arm was rested in a sling. The surgery on your shoulder was a success thank goodness. However, that only meant that you had about 2 weeks before you had to leave. It wasn't THE leave, but when you came back you'd have less than 2 months... the better half of which would be spent continuing your insane training.

You buried your face in your black notebook, "I know, I know! Sheesh, I wish I didn't even tell you sometimes. I don't like forcing all of my problems onto you."

You set the notebook down on the coffee table and released a long sigh, "It's just really hard, you know? Plus Ignis kinda knows so I still gotta have that conversation with him. I'm easing my way into all of this. If you were in my position you'd understand why I'm being this way."

At this point you were ready to pull every last strand of your hair out. He was totally right, and letting this conversation linger would do no good. What, where you just going to wait until the final day before telling them? Or worse, would you just leave without a word?

"Plus Valentines day is coming up soon. I don't wanna give Gladiolus a reason not to pamper me. Selfish, I know, but I wanna cherish the time I still have." You paused again.

Just as you opened your mouth to speak again, your phone vibrated with a new text. Speak of the devil, it was Gladio.

You read the text aloud, "'Don't forget."

You put a hard hand to your forehead, "Oh shit! I forgot I have date night Gladio."

You stood up and began to grab your purse.

"What so that's it?" The blond sighed.

You smoothed back his hair and planted a motherly kiss to his forehead, "Sorry! Can you watch Benedict for me? Pleeeease? I love you Promptooooo!"

The boy rolled his eyes. "Fine, she can come back to my place. But you have to tell the guys soon! Have fun. Use protection!"

You stuck your tongue out at him as you both began to leave.

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 6:21pm : 133 days**

"Please calm down Gladio. I thought we were supposed to be having date night." You spoke in a rather lax tone.

"How can I calm down when my girlfriend got surgery and didn't even tell me about it?" He wasn't angry at you really, but that situation a couple weeks ago.

"It was like a week ago. You gotta chill. I'm fine."

You lay on the bed in his room on your side. Today was supposed to be date night, but after finding out that you had major surgery done he was a bit too upset to leave.

"Why didn't you tell me until just now?" He crossed his arms.

"Because I knew this would happen." You sat up and removed the sling as to show that you were fine. "I don't want you to always look at me as some damsel in distress. If it was anything that I could have potentially not woken up from then you'd have been the first to know. I promise Gladiolus." You stared in his worried amber eyes.

You looked at the time on your phone, "So can we watch a movie now?" You pouted.

Those pouty lips were met with a delicate peck, "Fine, but promise me you'll tell me next time. Hopefully there won't even be a next time."

You nodded, "I'm just not used to this relationship stuff ya know? I'm so used to being independent and not telling anyone anything, so that is my bad. I'll make a better effort okay? Go get the popcorn, I'm gonna get in my pajamas."

Movie date night consisted of the both of you vegging out and watching whatever movie you so pleased. Hell, it was better than going out anyway

It was a perfect day to do so too. Iris was spending the night at her friends, Jared was away for the evening, and did Clarus even live there?

Gladio sat on the couch with a giant bowl of popcorn. You were coming down the stairs wearing...

"Damn.." The man watched as his goddess descended down the stairs wearing his oversized hoodie zipped down.

What were you wearing underneath? A low cut tank top with no bra and a short hiked up skirt. You were a bad girl and you knew it.

You took the popcorn out of his hands and plopped right into his lap. "So what are we watching?"

"You tell me." He placed his hands on each side of your hips.

"Rom Com." You took the remote and turned on a new release.

You were making sure to act as nonchalant as possible. Like you were being unintentionally sexy, and damn was he falling for it.

Only about 30 minutes passed, and honestly by this point you weren't even watching the movie, especially with his hand creeping up your left side like that.

With Gladio it seemed like you were always in the mood and knowing you had only like 2 weeks before you'd go without his touch for 2 months made you want to be even closer to him.

If he was going to have his hand so meticulously placed, then you could play that game too.

Your arms stretched outwards as your back arched off the man, you forced you hips back to 'unconsciously' rub against him. A soft airy moan leaving you.

You were so naughty. Were you even here to watch the movie though? No, not really.

"I think I'm getting tired Sweet Pea. Might have to call it a night." Yes you loved teasing this man. It was too amusing.

He wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what you were up to, and there were consequences to pay for these actions. You only called him Sweet Pea when you were being sarcastic about something.

"You want a blanket babe, you cold?" He offered you.

You moved your body a bit to the side so he could get a better view of your visibility erect nipples pressing firmly against the fabric of your shirt. "No, just gonna head to the guest room and knock out."

You pressed yourself against him as best could as you got up. Prancing away upstairs you felt so satisfied. Even if he didn't follow.

Wasn't long before you made your way the guest bathroom to brush your teeth. You reached in the drawer, and as you did you felt hands on each strap of your shirt.

You looked up into the mirror and watched as Gladio yanked your top down. In one fell swoop your breasts just popped right out. He held your arms there in place so they wouldn't move. There was something sexy about seeing yourself be intimate firsthand in the mirror.

His hands come around your waste as he hoists you up on top of the counter.

You look at his shapely lips and lick your own. He leans in further and presses his lips to yours. Your hand rises to his neck and presses down the ends of his soft hair.

"Let me." You whisper as you unzip his hoodie about halfway. Your mouth finds a way to his neck where you suck on and bite his warm skin.

Your hand runs down his chest until your index finger clings to the middle of his halfway closed jacket. You plant kisses from the fresh hickey on the left side of his neck, to his adams apple.

"Touch me." Your tongue runs vertically across the small bulge in his neck.

Gladio returns the favor and pulls your hips forward so there is no space left between the two of you. You lay back on the counter until your back is slumped against the mirror. Gladio surely followed and pressed his body against yours.

He goes in on your neck and nibbles at your flesh. His left hand inches up to grasp at your breast as the other runs downward along your side.

Gladio kisses your sternum before giving you a peck on the lips. His hands reach for each side of your shirt, and slowly pull down the rest of it. You feel the last bit of material cling to your hard nipple before being exposed to the man in front of you.

He takes a moment to admire them. His hands come up and he rubs over both of them. The feeling of his rough palms fondling you is enough to spark a moan. Upon hearing it, he stops.

His hands fall, and his face closes in. His tongue crept out of his mouth and dragged against your nipple. Just once; he wanted to see you shudder.

He went back again and sucked your nub. Your hand gently held the back his head to your breast. He broke away and flicked his tongue up and down against your nipple.

In the business of being fair, he switched to the other side and gave the same treatment. His teeth teased you and yanked an unexpected high moan from you. Goddamn!

You push him back with your right palm and rise up as you do. Your hands run through his short, untamed brown hair.

You give another gentle kiss to his lips and linger there for a moment. Your tongue teases his just before pulling away.

Your lips press once more against his, but this time you give him a short peck.

"Like I said, I'm super sleepy, so I'm just gonna pack it in." You teased in a sardonic tone.

The man tenderly kisses your jaw up to the sweet spot behind your ear. Tracing his tongue around the rim of your ear he whispers, "I'm not letting you go."

You knew exactly what you were doing. Coming over here to be a tease and then going to sleep? You just wanted to watch his reaction. You wanted him to beg you to stay up.

You'd scoot to the edge of the counter and turn your back toward the man. Your ass pressed against his manhood as you slowly slid off the surface and onto your feet. The bottom of your pleated blue skirt rose a bit as you did.

"Oops." Your voice was over dramatically taunting. With a finger in your mouth, you were totally mocking the sexy-cute stereotype.

Your hands flipped up the skirt to straighten it out. In doing so you gave the man a quick flash of your black g-string. It drove his mind wild. You had a nice ass, and flashing it at him was like hanging meat in a hungry lion's den.

Were you really going to leave him high & dry with an ever so obvious boner? Yes, was the answer to that. Yes you were.

"Whelp, I've gotta get going. See ya in the morning." You began to walk away from the man as you pulled your top up, but he'd not let you. He reached his arm out and wrapped it around your waist.

Gladio pulled you close into him so your ass could feel the hardness of his manhood. He rests his head on your shoulder as he looks down your shirt. With one hand on your hip, he uses his free hand to pull down your shirt once more. He watched as your cleavage slowly came into view.

He knew you wanted him to stop you on your way out. You planned it and he unknowingly followed like a good boy.

Finally the shirt was all the way down and you could feel the cool air at your navel. He ran his hands up your sides and stop short right under your soft breasts. He placed a longing kiss on your neck and kept his face slightly buried in it.

His voice ran like creamy velvet in your ears, "I wouldn't want to keep you up all night, baby."

Now it was he that would leave you with the burdening feeling of lust. Your nipples were so hard it was painful, and your pussy was just short of soaking.

You'd feel the warmth of his grasp dissipate as he walked away. The tables had turned in a way you weren't expecting. This was not what you planned, and it was not funny.

You turned to face the man, but he was heading to his room already. Your cheeks puffed out, and you didn't care if you seemed too forward anymore. The cute games were over, and by the Six you wanted to go all the way tonight!

"I don't need you anyway. I can take care of myself." You'd stick out your tongue and angrily begin to pull up your shirt.

The man stopped walking and turned to face you. His eyes quickly looked at your still exposed chest and back into your eyes. "Show me."

Your eyes flashed wide for a moment. "What?"

He walked to the lounge chair in the guest room and looked over at you. "You think you can get yourself off better than I can? Then show me."

Was he really asking you to touch yourself in front of him? You'd walk to the chair opposite him and lean over to pull your underwear down to your ankles. Pulling them through each leg, you set the underwear on the ground. You sit back on the chair with your legs spread. The skirt covered you just enough so he couldn't see.

You were so flustered. It was your first time ever doing something this. How could you put on a show for the man?

"Don't get jealous." You smirk before sucking two of your fingers.

Lifting your skirt, you reveal to him your freshly waxed pussy. Mhmm, you came prepared today.

You use the secretions of your wetness to lube up. You throw your head back as your fingers slide against your clit.

Back in the chair, Gladio attempts to keep on a poker face. His head lightly rested against his hand, and his legs are apart. His hand casually rubs against the bulge in his pants, but other than that he's focused solely on you.

Finally your fingers slip into your pussy and you force them in and out of yourself. Your moans go from tame to a bit more wild. Not going to lie, you're laying it on a bit thick to remind him of what he's missing. After all, you didn't forget what got you in this situation in the first place.

He watched as you struggled to add a third finger. You just gave up and remained with the faithful 2.

The taller man bit his bottom lip and spoke in his sexy grovely voice, "Mmm, you've got a tight little pussy now don't you?"

Your eyes close tightly as you rock your hips into your hand. "Wouldn't you like a feel?" Again you tease the man.

Suddenly you feel a hand pull yours away. Gladio shakes his head as he holds your wrist. He runs his tongue against your fingers and you can't help but think about how nasty he is. Didn't matter, it was going to get nastier from here anyway.

He kneels at the edge of the seat and puts his face right in between your legs. The man smiled as he gave a tender kiss to the inside of your right thigh. All in the same motion he'd sink his teeth deep into your flesh. Instinctively your toes curl, and the heel of your left foot presses into his back.

Gladio stared hungrily at your wet pussy. His face closed in, and he'd give a long drawn out lick to your folds, stopping as he reached the top. He needed to stop messing around and just get down to business already. He loved watching you suffer. Enough was enough though, and he pulled apart your lips before eating you every which way.

His tongue flicked around your clit before taking it into his mouth and sucking it. Your hand reached down into his brown hair, and you'd pull roughly at his roots. He was too good at his job, and you were getting ready to unapologetically cum on his face. His tongue pierced through to your entrance and he was literally fucking you with it.

"Gladiolus!" You pulled back harder on that chocolate mane. "I'm gonna cum!"

Seeing as you already brought yourself to the edge he was just finishing the job.

Your hand lightened up just as your orgasm hit. It was a small convulsion that delighted your pussy. He wasn't done with you yet, he was gonna wear that body of yours down. He gave a kiss to your womanhood as a tender apology for what he'd do to it tonight.

He pulls you out of the chair to sit and put you back into his lap. He loved seeing your naked body against his fully clothed self. His rough hands spread your thighs again as you lean your back to his chest.

He brings his index and ring finger to your mouth. "Suck it for me baby."

You oblige and open your mouth for his fingers to enter. Your tongue swirls around both fingers as you lube them up with your saliva. His eyes watch you, and you can feel his manhood just minutely twitch against your bare ass. You narrow your mouth around his digits as he pulls them free. Ughhh you made him so horny.

He'd lower his hand and delicately inch his fingers inside you. He'd pump them slowly in and out. He had to warm you up, because his dick wouldn't be nearly as polite as his fingers. You moan out in a fit of blissful discomfort as his fingers were much bigger than yours. Just as you start to get comfortable with his tempo he speeds it up. You lean forward from the pleasure, but he swiftly pulls you back to him.

"Come taste yourself baby." He demanded as he forced you to face him.

Your lips pressed against his, and you opened your mouth for him to invade. The kiss was short lived as you moaned deeply from his skilled fingers curling at your g-spot. His teeth latched to your bottom lip, however, and as you pulled away it wasn't slipping through that iron grip.

He'd let gowhen he pleased, but his fingers continued to work. His thumb rubbed against your clitoris, and you were definitely getting ready to cum for a second time.

You pulled down on his neck, and moaned uncontrollably as you watched his skilled fingers move in and out of you. Your hands on each side of his neck scratched down, leaving nasty little welt marks. Probably wasn't good to lift your arm witha recovering shoulder, but oh well. Damage was already done.

"Oh fuck! Oh fuck." You yelled into your next orgasm. Body stiffening as you bit your lip.

His free hand lifted your chin so you'd give him a kiss. "Go lay your sexy ass on that bed."

He demanded as he slid his fingers from you. Of course you did as he asked and walked to the bed; removing your skirt and tossing it away. Your legs were already shaking, and the juices slid down your leg.

Gladio walked over to the night stand and pulled out a condom. There was no one else on this planet you'd rather experience this with for the first time.

"Hey." The man looked at you as he began to roll it on, "I love you. I know it's your first time, so we can go at your pace."

It was like someone flipped a switch. Had it not been your first time that dominate Gladdy would still be here but these were special circumstances.

"I love you too, and I want to do this." You reassured him.

He climbed on the bed and loomed over your body. His dick lay against you, and you were so scared. Damn he was as hung as you remembered, and now he was gonna put it right inside you.

You pulled him down to you with your arms around his neck as he positioned his manhood at your entrance.

"Shit!" You moaned as he put the tip in.

There was no such pleasure in that. All you could hope was that your walls would quickly adjust to his size. Considering the man's stamina, you'd have to endure this for quite some time too.

He slowly forced himself in deeper, and your nails dug into his back. Damn that girth was ripping you apart, or at least that's what it felt like.

He latched onto a steady pace, making sure that you weren't in too much pain. Definitely wouldn't go too hard as he didn't want to exactly kill you. His strokes continued for a good while, and still there was no suvh pleasure.

"How you doing baby doll?" He spoke with his forehead to your.

"I'm... alright." You grunted. "Gladio... you can go... a little faster."

You put heavy emphasis on 'little' as you truly meant it. You needed to fight through the pain so you could finally get to the pleasure.

His hips did as you commanded, and he thrusted a bit quicker. Your swearing got so much louder, and soon the neighbors would be calling the police to report what sounded like a murder.

It didn't take as long as you thought for your walls to adjust to his size. Still an uncomfortable fit, but now you could feel a bit of pleasure out of this. Your arms locked even tighter around his neck.

Your eyes looked onto the man above you. His grunts pushing you toward your first orgasm from penetration. His hand reached between the two of you and he rubbed against your clitoris.

"Mmm, yes!" You moaned in ecstasy; bucking your hips forward.

Your back began to arch off the bed and your nails dug deeper into his flesh. You were lighting a flame in the man that he knew he couldn't let loose for your first time. He didn't want to scare you away from having sex with him again.

"I'm so close baby." He moaned as he prepared you for his orgasm.

None of that seed would be in you tonight as he was using protection. You wanted to feel it though, but a pregnancy scare wasn't worth one night of good sex. You were definitely considering the pill at this point for next time.

Your legs squeezed at his waist, begging him to make you cum again. Your hands lowered to his arms, and squeezed mercilessly.

"Shit." Gladio audibly grunted as he felt your walls tighten around his dick. His climax followed shortly after. He held himself inside you. And his climax grunt was one for the books.

You secretly wanted a round 2, but your body needed to recover for a few days... which was crazy because he was extremely gentle with you.

The man pulled out and took off the condom. You turned your back to him and he held you tight.

"You alright?" He kissed your shoulder.

"Of course. Thank you." Your hand ran over his.

He leaned in closer to your ear, "Good, because next time I'm gonna tear that ass up."

A jolt shot through your body, "Don't even start with that shit Gladio. You're gonna say something you can't take back and I'm gonna break your dick off with one roll of the hips."

He laughed deep into your shoulder, "Only had sex once and now she's a master."

"And don't you forget it Sweet Pea." You nestled more into his grasp and settled in for the night.

Of course you'd have to get up again to shower, but right now you wanted to snuggle.

It felt safe in his arms. You wished you could just stay there forever. There was no one else you'd rather lose your virginity to. Kind of just solidified the relationship in a way.

"Hey." You turned to look at him.

"What's up?" He spoke with his eyes closed still as he rested.

"I love you."

Gladio pulled you closer him. He didn't say a word, but kissed you on the forehead.


	20. Preparation

**Home: 5:38pm : 130 days**

"So I talked to my doctor. He said that my arm won't be healed fully for about 4 months, but I can drop the sling after 3 weeks. How am I supposed to train exactly?"

You sat in the kitchen of your home. You watched as the scarred woman prepared both of you a meal.

She looked at you, rolling her eyes, "That's why I need you for so long. Rehabilitation and maintaining your skill. I wish you wouldn't ask these mundane questions."

Your phone vibrated and you looked at the screen. You unconsciously read it aloud, "'I've come up with a new recipe'...what the hell does that mea-..."

A sharp gasp cut through your throat. It was a message from Ignis, and you knew exactly what he was talking about.

Your coy eyes looked over at the woman, "Please forgive me, but I must leave. Would that be okay?"

She stopped chopping the vegetables and looked down, "I couldn't stop you from getting close to the prince, and I couldn't stop you from fornicating with the body guard... why do you think I'd stop you now?"

You hastily replied, "Me and Gladiolus didn-"

"Do not lie to me. It is no secret, and you are grown." She stared deep into your nervous eyes, "I just don't want that boy near this house... but I can't stop you from seeing him. I'm not the one who must part ways." She shooed you away, "Now go. Don't you have a place to be?"

You scooted out of your chair and began to make your leave.

.

 **Ignis' Condo : 6:13pm : 130 days**

"Damn, looks like babysitting the prince really does pay well... Guess Prompto and I are the only broke asses." You rolled your eyes.

You weren't living as rich as the prince, definitely not as wealthy as the Amicitia's, and the gated community of Ignis' condo just confirmed that the two of you were at the bottom of the totem pole when it came to wealth. It was nice to know that even despite your short comings, they never judged you for that. Money wasn't what got you all to be friends.

This neighborhood seemed familiar however. Like you've been here before. Perhaps in passing? You couldn't quite put your finger on it.

The outside of his place was nothing less than you'd expect. Clean lines; very modern and gorgeous. It may as well have been individual houses the way this structure was set up. He had a nice potted fern right outside of his front door.

"I'll ring the doorbell I guess?" You shrugged confused.

Your finger went to press against the doorbell and the beautiful melodic chimes rang. What the hell was he living like you wondered? Where did the uptight Ignis come to rest his head when he wasn't working overtime at the Citadel?

Didn't take much waiting before he answered the door. You could just roll your eyes as you saw him still in a button up shirt and slacks. Doesn't he like to lounge in pajama's sometimes? Maybe he didn't want to look too lax around guests.

"Come in." He opened the door for you to step in.

You didn't want to make a huge fuss about how beautiful his place was, but damn. Not quite as good a view as you'd get from Noctis' apartment, but definitely nothing to turn your nose up at either. Hard wood floor, hanging chandeliers, floor to ceiling windows, a burning fireplace, a chef's dream kitchen with lovely neutral tones.

"Wow Iggy. If I knew you were living like this I would have dressed better... and bought over a bottle of champagne or something."

"It's quite alright." Ignis nodded, "Would you like to taste the dish?"

You smiled, "Hell yeah!"

You took off your black sneakers and left them at the door. Along with it you stripped away your navy blue trench coat and left it at the door. That just left you in some black ripped jeans and a long sleeve plain white shirt.

On the center island was the dish that you remembered oh so fondly. It was a pie, but you didn't remember it being a pie. In fact, you didn't remember what it looked like at all. Only the taste.

The man took a plate down from the cabinet and placed it before you as you sat on one of the bar stools at the counter.

"Thank you so much Ignis." You looked up at him, "I've been searching so long for this, and you actually did it. To be honest I didn't know if you could do it. And if I'm being super real, I even forgot that I asked you to make this."

"It was my pleasure." He cut you a slice and placed it on your plate.

You were so ready for this. The smell of the delicious berries had your mouth already watering. It was still warm, and the way the crust flaked as soon as you stuck your fork in it... was it possible to have a foodgasm? Pretty sure you were having one.

Once again you inhaled the aroma before putting the sweet treat to your lips and taking that first bite.

"Damn." You whispered.

Some people cried over beautiful music, or even a lovely dance routine. Here you were ready to sob over a piece of pie. It wasn't the taste. It was a piece of your childhood being brought back to you. Like a memory had been opened from your long-sealed vault.

"This is... it." You took a deep breath, "Never thought I'd get so emotional about eating delicious food, but here I am."

The taller man adjusted his glasses, "Are you certain? This is exactly what you remember eating?"

You nodded, "Yes, this is it. I couldn't forget a taste like this."

"Would you like to know the ingredients so you don't forget?" He smiled softly at you.

"Yes, though I'm not sure I could ever make it as wonderfully as this."

He took a seat opposite the two of you, "Besides making a basic pie crust, there was only 4 main ingredients."

You looked away from the plate and frowned, "What?!"

"Berries from the corpse flower as you knew, strawberries, blueberries, and sylleblossoms. The flower that is native to Tenebrae. Had to order them special. Sylleblossoms and the corpse flower; both inedible until they are combined. You said this pie was from your childhood correct?" His eyes didn't move from you.

You froze with every muscle and tendon locked into place. Your hand clenched to the fork, and certainly if you were strong enough it would have snapped it in two by now. There was a ghastly silence. Of course; you should never have second guessed the sharpness of Ignis Scientia.

"Yes." You nodded, "Mother used to make it for me when we lived there." You looked up with conviction in that statement. " Actually... I'm not originally from there, and I'm not from Insomnia either."

"Do tell." His eyes focused on you with no give. Damn he was intimidating from this close.

It was time to spill it. It helped that you weren't talking to the whole group, but still, forming these words were so hard. Ignis knew you were hiding something by the way you were acting so shady with your hands. But what did your hands have to do with being a foreigner? How did the two connect, he still wondered?

You cleared your throat, "I'm from Niflheim, and in approximately 130 days I'm going back to offer my services to their army, but it's not what you think." You didn't stutter. It was about time you owned up to what was happening here.

There was no turning back time. The words had already left your mouth. Your heart beat so hastily that you could almost swear Ignis heard it. Maybe they did... it was deathly silent. The whole situation was hard to explain, but now that you brought it up you had to finish.

"I'll tell you what's going on, and whether you choose to trust me or not... well, I'll respect whatever decision you make. I just ask of you one thing." You looked into Ignis' green eyes, "Please don't tell Noctis or Gladio. I need to tell them in my own way. Prompto... doesn't know the full story yet, but I'll tell him too."

Ignis; the way he looked at you was almost blank.. almost. It was as though he was trying to keep an open mind, however you could tell that he lost a bit of trust in the statement you just made, but you hoped to the Six that you'd gain it back in your explanation.

You rolled up the sleeve of your shirt. It was like you were preparing yourself to lay it all on the table.

"I'm... an unfinished MT from Niflhiem. My mother was a commanding officer who fell in love with a man she met outside of the empire and carelessly got herself pregnant. That child, me, was to become a part of the soulless magitek infantry. Motherhood has no place in the army, so why not use me as a contribution to some crazy research? I didn't even get my branding by the time mom snuck me out of that hell hole. She fled of course to Tenebrae. We lived decently for a few years until the empire came... a story I'm sure you've heard many times."

You clenched your fist and took a well needed deep breath, "Mom stowed me away. It was not only so I wouldn't be found, but so that I wouldn't see my own mother get struck down in front of me. She had to pay for her crime of treason. I waited for her to come back, but the only one who showed was the woman I call my aunt. She took me under her wing as a promise to my old lady."

You held up your shaky, bruised hands, "She has trained me for a very long time now, and that is why my hands are so worn. Archery isn't a hobby for me, it is a survival skill. When I go back to Niflheim I will see to it that I destroy them from the inside out. My aunt is a woman who can roam freely though both Niflheim and Insomnia. Using her I will give any information I find about the empire and she will relay it back here. It was my mother's dying wish to see the empire dismantled, and it is my living will to see it through."

Damn, what else was there to be said after all of that. You didn't spill the beans, you poured that shit. It was too close to the end of your days for you to pussyfoot any longer. Still, this was not a conversation you were looking forward to having with Noctis and Gladio.

"I may be running into my own death, but if that means saving many others then the sacrifice is worth it to me." You grit your teeth. "Guess you could say I have a chip on my shoulder... but the stories that my aunt told me... the stories about what could have happened... they haunt me to my core."

All you wished was that he'd say something. There was a lot of information to process though, so you'd give him that.

Finally Ignis replied, "One person can't take down a whole army. You know that?"

You nodded lightly, "I do. There was a reason I avoided meeting you or Gladio for so long. If they find out who I am associated with, they will either execute me on the spot or try to pry information out of me. If even an inkling of information like that leaks... I don't know what would happen to me."

You were going to sacrifice yourself to keep Insomnia safe? That seemed like a lot of weight on one person's shoulders.

"Don't tell me." The blond spoke once more, "It HAS to be you. There's no way out of this."

You shook your head, "No, that's the shitty part; it doesn't. I'm not some 'chosen one' or anything like that. Any person could be in my place. However, the difference between me and any other person is the fact that I will be ready. That when the time comes for war, I will have weapons drawn and know exactly what to do. My hand is already in this, and I can't let what almost happened to me continue. For a long time I've dreaded the end of my days and the responsibility I've been given, but I think it's about time I start owning up to it."

Ignis kept his gaze firmly on you, "Why disclose everything now?"

"Because of this." You pointed at your hurt shoulder. "In about 2 weeks I have to leave Insomnia for about 2 months to endure some of the harshest training any soldier has ever had to bear. I'll be back though, with 58 days to spare."

This was literally one of the most difficult conversations you've ever had in your life, and you could only imagine how much worse it would be telling the others. Your back was against the wall here, and like it or not, you had 2 weeks to tell them everything.

"I know that you probably don't trust me now, but that's just how it is. I am truly sorry for waiting so long, but I can't apologize for what I'm doing. Its been years now, and I'm ready to step up to the plate. My aunt always tells me that the walls of Insomnia won't heed refuge forever, and she's right. But it is my job to prepare everyone for that day. The only thing that keeps me up at night is not knowing if I'll ever see this city again... not knowing if I'm walking into my own slaughter."

"Apprehension is not what I feel toward you." Ignis shook his head lightly, "Quite the opposite actually. I just wish you well on your journey, and I'm sure it won't all end in Niflheim. Our paths will cross again; I do believe that."

It was a huge relief to hear that. These boys were good for calling you out on bad decision making, and it was good to know that Ignis supported you.

"Well I did it." You took a deep breath.

"Did what?" He inquired as he fixed his glasses.

"I got through it without crying." You spoke on the cusp of tears.

Nice timing emotions! You placed your face in your hands as you leaned over the counter. It was a mixture of things, really.

"I'm so scared Ignis." You began to sob into you worn hands.

You felt a warm hand comfort your back. As much as he wanted to tell you to stay, he wouldn't. Ignis was a man who understood when situations went far beyond his selfish desires.

You lifted from the counter and wrapped your arms around the man; crying into his chest as you leaned far over from your seated position.

"I love you guys all so much. The only reason I fear death is because that means I won't see you guys anymore."

Your sad eyes looked up at him, and he saw the passion and sadness in them. You had this way of looking so sad; and it wasn't an act by any means, but the people who saw it never wanted to see it again.

He pressed the back of your head once again to his chest. It was hard to respond after this type of situation. What was there to say?

He just held you there as you cried. Minutes passed, and it felt like an eternity. You were just lucky that he was accommodating in him hugging you back.

"Ignis?" You stayed in position as you spoke.

"Yes?" His voice was just above a soft whisper.

"Can you please drive me home? I really need to get back. I have school tomorrow..." Normally you never asked for rides from any of your friends, but today you were feeling too upset to walk all the way back.

"Of course."

You sniffled as you pulled out of his hug. "Ignis, you're too good to me. One day someone is gonna do something really special for you and you won't even be expecting it."

You found yourself feeling worse now than you did after you told Prompto. It was probably because you finally spilled everything. This solidified it. You HAD to tell the others before it was too late.

Ignis paused as he grabbed his key, "...I don't want a surprise party."

You put your hand on each hip, "I never said anything about a surprise party! What you think because your birthday is in 2 days that I'm planning one?"

He looked down at you with eyes of pure stone. There was no pulling one over on him. "I'm very keen to your facial expressions when you're being facetious at this point."

"Ignis..." You approached the man with your saddest puppy eyes. "I am not planning a party for you."

.

 **School: 12:04pm : 129 days**

"Fuck! Ignis knows about his party!" You yelled out during your lunch break.

You sat in a circle that consisted of you, Noctis, and Prompto. Although things have been getting crazy lately, you still wanted to plan something special for Ignis' birthday. He'd done a lot for you, and secretly you still wanted to pay him back for that bangle he bought you for Christmas.

"You told him?!" Promoto rose his voice with widened eyes.

"No!" You fiercely shook your head. "The guy just reads me like a fucking book! I was at his place an I literally just said someday someone was going to do something special for him and he wouldn't even expect it."

Noctis ran a hand over his face. "You should know how sharp Ignis is by now. You can't say things like that; he'll catch on."

Promoto rose a suspicious eyebrow, "My question is why were you over there and how did the conversation get to that?"

You definitely didn't want to go into detail on that one. "Let's not split hairs on this one, okay? He just made me some pie and I came over."

The blond leaned in further, "Wait a second, are you getting sweet on Ignis again?"

"I thought you were with Gladio squirt? That's not cool." Noct shook his head at you.

You rolled your eyes, "What?! Okay, no! Let's make this very clear. I had a MOMENT of weakness with Ignis some time ago, alright? That's done. I love Gladiolus, and I'm gonna stay with him until he's either sick of me or whatever. Also, fuck off. Both of you."

The boys laughed as you huffed at them. They loved messing with you because your reactions were so perfect. Damn these boys.

You puffed out your cheeks, "Anyway, the point of this conversation was to get this whole birthday fiasco under control."

"Alright, so what do we do?" Prompto tilted his head to the side.

"Play it cool I assume?" Noctis questioned.

"Exactly." You nodded. "Everything goes on as before, except we'll have to drag out the surprise a bit longer. Buy fake gifts. Throw him off a little bit. We can go shopping after school."

"We have to buy a fake gift AND a real gift?" Noct crossed his arms; rolling his eyes a bit. "Hope you go all out like this on all of our birthdays."

You pushed out of your chair, "This isn't about you! Now I'll be right back. Just gonna use the bathroom."

You exited the classroom and moseyed on down the hallway. You looked down to check the time on your phone, and as you did you felt your shoulder bump someone else's.

"Oh, sorry." You apologized as a natural reaction.

The girl you bumped didn't say a word, but just stood there staring at you with her group of friends.

"Hey." She finally broke the silence. "So when were you gonna tell us?"

"Tell you what?" You turned around looking at your curious classmate and her friends; lowering your phone as you did.

"That you were dating the Prince's royal advisor." Their eyes all lit up at once, "So what's it like? Does he take you to fancy parties and stuff? How'd you get him?"

You shook your head, "Whoa, whoa! What? Who told you that?!"

"No one had to TELL us. I saw you leaving his house last night. You forget that I live over there? Now spill it!"

Your jaw dropped as your head shook. No! This type of mixed information could get seriously messy! Why was everyone coming so hard with the 'you and Ignis' stuff today? You were friends! That's it.

"You got the wrong idea. I have a boyfriend, and it's not Ignis." You placed a worried hand on your chest.

"Oh, bet he's the one who bought you that bangle you wear every day, huh?" One of the girls pointed at your Christmas gift from weeks prior.

"N-no... this was from Ignis actually." You realized the irony as you spoke those faithful words, "But my boyfriend is the bodyguard. The big hulking guy who looks like he could kill everyone but really he's a sweet guy."

The girls looked at you as though you spoke total gibberish to them. Like they didn't believe you almost.

"What?! That's your boyfriend?! Like.. he asked YOU out?" Another girl blurted out.

You were trying not to be offended. Honestly you never really thought that you could pull a guy like Gladio, and it was just great to know that no one else really did either. What? Did they think Gladio was too good for you? What's that supposed to mean anyway?!

"Yes, he's mine!" You shouted. "Why do you even care anyway?!"

You didn't mean to sound so offended, but by this point you just were. What the hell was up with these girls? Why did they think Ignis was more achievable than Gladio? They were both way out of your league... or so you thought once upon a time.

"No reason... it's just... he doesn't seem like he'd... I dunno... date someone like y-"

Her words were cut short as the bell for class had rung just in time. Saved by the bell. Spared by cruel words. Perhaps she wasn't trying to be rude, but try or not that's what it was. Although she didn't finish her words still stung. Probably shouldn't be thinking about that right now.

There weren't enough hours in the day to think about these things. You just needed to plan for this damn surprise party and get at least a TINY bit of your life back under control.

.

 **Mall : 3:39pm : 129 days**

"I'm so excited!" You clapped your hands as you sat in the food court alongside your two friends. "He's totally not gonna expect this!"

Noct sighed, "I think you're seriously underestimating the sharpness of Iginis."

You slumped over a bit and put your hand to your cheek. "He won't, trust me. Too much planning has gone into this. I'm a few steps ahead of Mr. Scientia."

Prompto gave a light pinch to your cheek, "Aww, you're so adorable when you're determined."

"Shut up.." You swatted the boy's hand away. "I just hope this goes as planned."

"Pfft, guy teaches you to stir some eggs and suddenly you wanna give him the world." Noctis scoffed.

Your teeth peek just slightly from behind your lips as you try to hide a smile. "You're so jealous right now. Does the widdle pwince want a special birthday too?" You chuckled, "You know I'm big on birthdays, so this shouldn't be a surprise."

You teased him as you put both hands on his cheeks and squished them together.

"If you think I'm being extra about Iggy's birthday you should see what I have planned for Gladio."

Your words faded out at the end as you spoke. It just dawned on you that you wouldn't be here for Prompto or Noct's birthday. And... in that 60 days you'd be gone Gladio's birthday will have come and gone. Dammit... the realness was sinking in again.

The prince pried your hands from his face. "I have no doubt you won't do anything less than over the top."

Your voice reclaimed its mellowness once again. "I'll do something special for all of you guys... just you wait..."

Probably best to start planning it now. You definitely had to go bigger than you ever had. It would be a parting gift.

"So, let me see what presents you got." You were referring to the fake gifts of course. The real ones had been bought some time ago.

You pulled your gift out of a mid-sized plastic bag. "I got him these glasses."

You pulled out a pair of black rimmed shield sunglasses, and Noctis immediately pulled them from your hands.

"Um, squirt? Are these prescribed or something?" The prince asked as he examined the glasses.

"No, why?" You shrugged.

"Just wondering when he'll ever find a use for these. You know Ignis is very particular about his eyewear. I don't exactly see him wearing these..."

Delicately you snatched the glasses back, "It's supposed to be a shitty throw away gift anyway! I'm not expecting him to use it Noct-Ass!'

Actually that wasn't true. Although it was supposed to be a fake gift you still wanted it to seem real enough; like something he'd actually wear. Now that you looked at it, it really didn't seem like his type.

"Don't worry, if it has anything to do with you he'll use it." The prince rolled his eyes as he took back his words.

"I don't even wanna know what you mean by that... Anyway Mr. Critic, show me what you got him then!"

You leaned far over on the table with your knees in your chair and your hands holding up your chin. You looked like an anxious child on Christmas. You had to be careful though. You were still in your school uniform and you had to make sure your skirt didn't raise too high.

Without a word he pulled out a set of knives. They were gorgeous hand crafted stainless steel knives. Your eyes marveled at their beauty.

"They're gorgeous..." You grabbed his chin and pulled him a bit closer, "But I thought I said no kitchen stuff!"

"No you didn't!" Prompto frantically pulled out his gift that was a flatware set.

You placed your weight on your arms as you glanced at the two boys. "What the hell is wrong with you guys? You shit on me about buying sunglasses yet you both buy him practically the same thing?!"

All you hoped was that Gladio at least got him something different. Here's hoping. Come this time tomorrow you'd be throwing Ignis a surprise party to remember. There was honestly something fun about dragging him outside of his comfort zone.

Your hands clapped together, "Alright, our day isn't over yet."

The raven haired boy let out a lengthy groan, "What else do we have to do?"

"Get some party clothes!" You pushed out of your chair; pulling your shopping bag to the crook of your arm. "You guys too. I've seen your closet recently Noct and there's been nothing I want to wear."

You pulled each of the boys by their wrist and lead them away from the table, "No time like the present boys!"

All too happily you marched on to the next store in preparation for Ignis' big 20!


	21. The Big 20

**Apartment : 12:23pm : 128 days**

"It's your 20th mother fucking birthday! Cheers to having survived another year on this wretched planet!" You yelled as you entered Noct's apartment.

Surprisingly you were the last one to show up. You would have been on time, but you left the present at home. Of course the lone wolf in you went to grab it and come back on your own. That left you only a few minutes before you had to head back to school from your lunch break.

"You're such a dork!" Noctis laughed at your off the cuff birthday toast.

"Well, I do what I can." You smiled as you carried Ignis' gift to the coffee table.

"Thank you." The man graced you with a warm smile.

You saw that the other presents had been opened, and it honestly made you a little pouty. Didn't matter. It was just the fake gifts anyway. No one was dressed up at this point since school was still in session. You were really trying to set in the whole 'there will be no surprise party' thing.

"Alright, so I see you got some knives, some flatware, and..." You looked to see what Gladio bought the man.

Your eyes lit up as you saw he didn't buy him anything having to do with cooking. See, this is why you loved Gladio. He knew what he was doing.

"Ahh, some nice shirts. I dig it... However!" You held up your gift like it was a treasure to this world, "All of that stuff doesn't compare to my present."

"It's not a competition babe." Gladio stared at you with lowered lids.

You scoffed as you handed Ignis his present. "Yeah, maybe not to you."

The blond man took his gift, "Thank you very much. You didn't have t-"

"Iggy, shut up." You cut him off. "I know I didn't HAVE to do anything. But there's a difference between having to and wanting to. This I want to do."

You took a seat next to Gladio on the couch, smoothing back the skirt that was your school uniform as you did. The light in your eyes was pretentiously bright as you watched him open his present.

All you could think about was how happy he'd be at his party with his real gift later on. To be honest you were excited at the chance to dress up again.

The man opened his present and revealed the sunglasses. "Thank you. This is very thoughtful. I'm certain I'll find a use for these."

Like second nature you looked over the couch and flashed your tongue at Noct. It was at to say 'I told you so' in childish fashion.

"Stop it." Gladio growled at you in a low tone. His hand giving a light squeeze to your thigh.

Your legs retracted as you frowned at him, "Not fair." You finally looked back up at Ignis, "You're very welcome Iggy!"

Stretching your arms up as you stood from the couch, you yawned "Well this has been fun! But we have to head back to school. See ya boys. We'll have your birthday dinner later, okay? Just the 5 of us, so make sure you're all caught up with work and stuff!"

You pounced on Prompto's back as you all started to exit the apartment. "C'mon boys! Those books won't read themselves!"

His footing wobbled and he stumbled a bit before collecting his footing. Boy was a lot stronger than he looked.

He carried you out with a hand behind each knee and with that you were all off to class again.

 **Home : 6:00pm : 128 days**

Nude lipstick, heavy eye, hair curled with much body and volume. Your long dress was black with a plunging neckline and a high split on each side. You knew Gladio was weak for your legs, so why not give him a show? As always you were quite stunning.

Your nude heels clicked as you walked out of the bathroom connected to your room. Benedict was at the sitters and you were ready for this party.

"Whooooa look at you!" Prompto waited for you on the couch, snapping a couple photos of you.

His blue eyes widened and he looked at you. There was a large grin on his face. He enjoyed seeing you dressed up because there was always a level of confidence that came with it.

"Thanks! You look very handsome yourself Prompt."

You walked over to your kitchen and poured yourself a glass of water. You were so nervous that this might not play out how you had hoped.

Noct and Gladio were playing decoy right now; taking Ignis to 'dinner' just as planned. You figured Ignis would sort of catch on, but if things went quick enough then he wouldn't get the chance.

"Alright Prompto, it's about that time. Our ride's outside." You tossed a pill in your mouth and downed it with water.

The blond boy stood from the couch, "You nervous or something?"

"No." You shook your head, "Just some birth control." You walked back to the living room and picked up your weighty gift bag.

His eyes amplified like the nosy boy he was, "So that's why you're dressed like this! You and Gladdy gonn-"

"Me and Gladdy are gonna enjoy Ignis' birthday." You cut off his words. "I've only been on it for a couple days. Takes longer than that to work, so sorry to ruin your fantasy of us."

You snickered as you poked fun of him. "Now come on. Let's go before our ride leaves us."

Taking the key out of your purse, you locked up and sped walked to the car. The bite of winter was still quite strong these days.

.

 **Downtown : 6:34pm : 128 days**

As much as you'd like to take all the credit for this surprise party, you couldn't. It was everyone coming together, but ultimately it was you who enforced it all.

Where you stood now was a ballroom high up in one of the buildings. Top floor with an amazing view. There was a lovely balcony attached, and it was large enough to fit all the guests who would be here tonight, but it wasn't likely you'd go out. The weather was too cold.

Honestly Noctis paid for everything. Well, more so pulled some strings and Gladio extended the invitations. You couldn't wait to eat, and the smell of the food was so enticing.

From your seated position at one of the dining tables you pulled out your phone to send a group text. 'Hey, just got to the restaurant. See you guys soon!'

You decided to include Ignis in on that so it would seem more authentic. Prompto sent one immediately back.

'Be there in 20. Just left the house. Don't cut the cake without me!"

Like a proud parent, you looked to the boy beside you. "Nice touch." You whispered.

Still the group text was a message from Noct. 'Okay we're almost there.' He set another just to you. '5 minutes. Get ready.'

You stood up to speak to the whispering crowd. "Excuse me everyone. 5 minutes warning!"

The room quieted down as their attention turned to the door. This was totally not Ignis' style, but at this point certainly he knew you were good for making him do things he didn't always want to do.

Your eyes brightened as you saw Noctis step in first. Right behind him was Ignis and then Gladio.

Almost immediately you all stood up and gave the man a round of applause. No need in screaming happy birthday at him. You all knew what you were there for. Then again...

"Happy Birthday Iggy!" You yelled as you ran toward him.

You wrapped your arms around the man for a tight embrace before you looked up at him. "Were you surprised?"

He gave a light nod and smile. Yeah, he probably wasn't, but shit, you tried. You were all here now and it was time to party!

The music started and the chit chat ensued. This was going to be a fun night.

"Don't be shy." You nudged the birthday boy. "Go say hi to your guests, grab some food, and your cake should be out later."

"You're such a mom squirt." Noct chuckled at your itinerary.

"I know, but I just want things to be at least semi organized. " You pointed to the back wall, "Oh, and your presents are over there. You don't have to open them here, but you do have to open mine okay?"

You walked over to your boyfriend and gave him a quick peck. He pulled away hastily to take a look at you.

"Goddamn. Why do you do this to me?" He looked into your naughty eyes.

You blinked innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about, but thank you." Your arms wrapped around his neck as you pulled him down.

Your lips were right beside his ear, "Have you seen my panties Sweet Pea? Think I lost them." You backed away and gave a playful wink.

Walking back over to Prompto, you smiled, "Hey! Let's eat!"

Why were you like this? Always taunting him with your sex appeal. You swore one day he'd get fed up and just fuck you where you stood.

You sat at a table with Prompto and Noctis. Your food was served and hot. It smelled nothing short of amazing.

"I can't wait for cake!" Prompto excitedly shouted as he took a bite of his chicken.

"Mmm, same." You nodded, "It's gonna be really good. It should be brought out in like 20-30 minutes."

"I'm surprised you aren't jumping out of it." Noctis laughed.

"So inappropriate!" You shook your head.

As much as you made things about you at times, you also knew when not to be totally obnoxious. Noctis was kidding of course, but you just thought about how annoying you would be if you did that.

You were halfway through your dish when you realized Gladio was nowhere to be found. Where is he, you wondered? Standing up, you looked around and, bingo.

"Why is he sitting with them?" You slightly growled to the guys. "What, are they better conversationalists? Who are they anyway?"

Noct craned his neck to look in the direction you were. "The glaives? You haven't met them?"

You stood up from the table, "Guess I will now."

As you walked over to the table on the opposite side of the room you began to get nervous. Why? Because meeting new people was nerve racking at times? Because they were glaives? Probably a combination of both.

"Hey!" Gladio smiled and waved you over before you even reached him. He pointed to the man beside him, "I've introduced you to Nyx right?"

Your attention turned to the other man. He was quite handsome. You didn't know him, but one glance told you that he was definitely the type you could chug a beer and reminisce on good times with.

"You most certainly have not actually." Your hand extended to the man. "Good to meet you. I'm Gladio's girlfriend."

The black haired man smiled until he full on laughed. "So you're the one who told Clarus he aged like a fine wine."

Your hand released his and you frowned at Gladio, "I mean, in more or less words, yes. Why is that bad?"

Nyx shrugged, "Nah, but you got bigger balls than me."

Were people really that they intimidated by Clarus? Guess you could understand it. You were still pretty intimidated by him, but you figured it was best to be yourself. Had you not he probably wouldn't respect you as much.

Before you could reply, the lights dimmed and you knew what time it was. You searched frantically for Ignis until you found him. Hastily you made your way to his side.

Gladio watched as you pranced away. He had a proud smile on his face as you left. It was to say 'yeah that's all mine'. It was your personality that ultimately kept the man, but the fact that he found you so attractive was a true bonus.

The crowd of people gathered around as Ignis' cake was brought out. It was a large 3 layer black, white, and silver cake in the shape of gift boxes. It wasn't anything elaborate, but still something one would double take at.

You felt hands at your waist and a kiss on your forehead. You looked up to see Gladio staring down at you. He had that devious look in his eyes again as he pulled you to the back of the crowd.

It was both dim and crowded enough in the room that no one would notice this exchange. You felt his lips reclaim its place at your neck. He then moved to nibble at the top of your ear before speaking.

"Did you really think you could wear that dress with no consequences?"

You grinned with your royal blue polished finger between your teeth. Using your other hand to pull his neck down once more.

"I wore it specifically because I knew there would be no consequences." You planted a kiss on his stubbly cheek.

"Is that what you think?" He challenged you. His hand ran subtly up the right slit of your dress.

He wanted to see if you were telling the truth about having gone commando. You shivered as his cold hand glided against your hip.

You whispered once more, "Don't even think about it Sweet Pea. I'm still healing from last time."

Had he been rough with you days prior, you would not have been able to walk. Didn't mean you weren't sore though. Absolutely no sex for the next few days. He knew that, and you were going to tease him in the meantime. After that time was up however.. you'd have to, as they say, pay the piper.

"Aw dammit!" You snapped your fingers. "I missed the birthday song."

You were so busy talking to Gladio that you completely tuned out the birthday song. Snaking your way back up front, you watched the man of the hour blow out his candles and cut his cake. He seemed content. Not exactly happy, but not upset either.

Your tongue ran across your lips as you looked at the delicious, moist, white cake from the bottom tier. Perhaps you were staring at it a bit too hard.

Pieces of cake were cut, and you were back at your table with your favorite quartet. It was much more velvety and delicious than you even thought it would be.

"There was strawberry cake?!" Prompto eyeballed your slice.

"Yeah, it was in the top tier." You nodded.

"I want some." The young blond pouted.

"I'll give you some if you let me feed it to you like an airplane." You giggled at your totally serious suggestion.

"I would have it no other way." Prompto opened his mouth.

Cutting a slice with equal cake and icing, you held up your fork, "Here comes th-" You stopped short as you heard a slow song play.

Setting down your fork, you looked at Gladio. "Gladiolus, may I have this dance?"

Your boyfriend laughed, "You are all over the place, but of course. Come on Half-Pint."

"But what about my cake?" The blue-eyed boy poked his lip out.

"Just eat the rest of my piece." Your manicured hand slightly ruffled his hair.

Both you and Gladio made your way to the dance floor arm in arm. It reminded you of the Winter Formal. His hands were wrapped around you, and your head was to his chest.

"Baby?" You spoke in a low tone. "Can I paint your nails later?"

You felt the rumble in his chest as he laughed, "That is extremely random babe. Why?"

"Noctis won't let me paint his anymore and I already redid Prompto's." You swayed with the man.

"My job won't allow it. Why don't you just do your own?" His amber eyes looked down at you.

"Because I already did them. Fine. I won't paint your nails, but don't be surprised when I call you in the middle of the night complaining about it."

You felt his hand press against the back of your head; bordering on your neck. "Wouldn't be the first time."

This was so relaxing. You could fall asleep in his arms right here. Your eyelashes came together as you rested against him. His embrace was your safe place, and it always felt like that.

A few moments later you looked back to the table you were previously seated at. Ignis; the look on his face was not quite as content anymore. It was unlike the man to seem so spaced out. He still chatted with everyone, but he didn't seem all there.

You pulled away from Gladio, "Hey, mind if I dance with the birthday boy?"

The taller man shook his head, "Not at all. I'm gonna grab a bite anyway." He planted a tender kiss on your forehead once more.

Almost skipping your way back, you partially leaned over the table and extended your hand to Ignis. "Dance with me."

Your tone was on the border of both a question and demand. He looked up at you with green eyes of curiosity. Would he decline? It wasn't likely. Looking back on your entire friendship you couldn't name many things Ignis denied you of actually.

"Take my hand." You commanded this time, but at a soft volume.

His eyes remained on you as he placed his hand in your own. Weird; you don't remember ever touching Ignis' ungloved hand before. They were quite nice though.

A soft smile was painted on your face as you walked backwards to the dance floor again. "You look like you don't want to dance with me, yet you took my hand, so which is it Ignis?" Your eyebrow lifted.

"My apologies." He exhaled. "I would be delighted to share this dance with you."

Your lips pulled further as your teeth exposed a delightful smile now. "That's what I want to hear. Now you know how to dance don't you?"

He nodded as you stopped in the middle of the dance floor. Of course he knew how to dance. Surely it had to be a requirement for all the events he attended.

"Let's do it then." You guided his hands to your hips, and you placed yours atop his shoulders.

There was a respectable distance between the two of you. His head was tilted slightly down to keep an eye on you as well as his movements. The spectacles on his face slid down just a hair. You felt his hand lift from the left side of your waist, but before he could adjust them your hand was already on the frames.

"I gotcha." You pushed them back up. "Glasses can be such a pain. If you look anywhere but up they slide right off."

The two of you continued to sway. "So, tell me something Ignis Scientia."

You surely grabbed his attention by calling out his full name. "Yes?"

"What did you wish for? I mean when you blew out your candles. Don't bullshit me either and tell me that you didn't wish for anything." Your eyes shifted left and right. "I know they say if you tell someone what you wished for it won't come true, but that's a lie."

You smirked as you continued to dance along. "You have one hall pass. So don't worry. You can tell me."

The blond man stiffened a bit, "I'm afraid that my 'wish' doesn't hold any merit no matter who I tell."

"Ignis..." Your eye lashes rose as you looked him intensely in the eyes, "When we were at the botanical garden a few months ago I told you that you could use me as your confidant and that still holds weight... You can tell me anything. So talk to me."

"I just wish... that there was more time." There was a sadness in his eyes like you'd never seen before. Subtle, but melancholy.

His words hit you like 1000 knives. He was your friend, and one that you really respected. You always felt like he made more of an impact on you than you did on him, but you never put a lot of thought into how much you really affected his life. To hear him say he wished there was more time was a response too candid for you to even process.

You felt so selfish. The fault for his, yours, and everyone else's feelings rested on your shoulders alone. This was the Pandora's box your aunt spoke of; many complicated matters as the result of an unwise interference. You were regretting everything back to the moment when you first met Noctis. Stupid you just had to hop through his window that day.

Your hands lowered a bit on his shoulders, "Ignis, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't hav-"

"Don't apologize." He hastily replied. "My intent was never to make you feel dejected."

Your hands clenched against his jacket, "You didn't do anything. It's always my fault; we both know that. I wish I had more time too."

The two of you kept your voices down to prevent anyone from overhearing. This was not the way you envisioned his birthday going.. or any event you ever attended with the quartet thus far.

"Stop. Look at me." He lowered his voice, but heightened his sternness. "There is no blame to be placed here. This is your rite of passage; let no one interfere with that."

You pulled Ignis so that he was standing in front of Gladio's line of vision. He picked up on your moods very quickly. If he got even a hint of your grief he would come right over. Luckily he was sitting with the glaives again, so his attention was elsewhere. Even still, you needed to get it together and collect yourself before you sat down again..

"Don't stop dancing with me." You pleaded as your hands loosened their grip.

"I won't." Ignis nodded and the two of you continued to sway.

Back at the table sat a full Noctis and Prompto. The two were stuffed to capacity as they watched you and Ignis dance.

Prompto slumped back in his seat, "Those two have been dancing for a long time. It's been what like 30 minutes now?"

The prince kept his eyes on you. Seeing as he was your eldest friend, he was the only one who could pick up on your nervous ticks faster than Gladio.

"More like 25?" Noct glanced over at his small friend with a raised eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

The young blond looked around before he spoke, checking to see if anyone was listening. "Do you think she still..."

"No." The raven haired boy shook his head. "She just trusts Ignis the most because they talk almost every day, but Gladio.." His eyes looked over at the man and back to you. "She loves him more than all of us."

It was a shame you weren't in on this conversation. That way you could confirm Noct's assessment. Though he did get one part wrong. You loved them equally, it was just that Gladio was the only one you desired to be intimate with.

"Twirl me!" You laughed as you continued to dance.

It was strange how much your mood had picked up once again. The longer you swayed, the more you were able to appreciate the situation at hand.

Ignis did as promised, and twirled you around. You twisted right back until you were in the man's arms once again. How could anyone be upset when they were dancing?

"I wanna give you your present." You laughed as your dance finally came to a close.

"I thought you already gave me my gift?" He tilted his head to the side.

"That's not like me at all, now is it Iggy? You should have known better." You spoke playfully as you made your way back to your seat.

You turned with your back to the table. "Now then, who's the most awesome, cool, amazing, fantastic, best friend you have?"

"Noctis!" Prompto yelled out.

Your hair whipped behind you as your eyes snapped to the blond boy. "Excuse me? This is between me and specs, okay?" You looked back at Ignis, "Anyway."

Leaning down by your seat, you reached under the table and pulled a mid-sized gift bag, "The answer to that question is me." You handed the bag over. "Happy 20th my friend."

He opened the bag and in it was a small box and a note attached. It read 'Just in case you're stuck on a remote island and can only bring one item.'

Ignis took a seat and opened the box. It was a care package as insinuated by the note. 5 small rare cans of Ebony from all around Eos, a blank notebook, calligraphy pen, a few bath bombs, different scented essential oils, and a lot of other snacks and goodies from Altissia.

To the man who had practically everything, you knew a gift like this would be something he'd enjoy. It was no 'guess and give' type of present. This could not be faked. Each item in the box was something he mentioned at one time or another. Having remembered what you could, you wrapped it up nicely in a box and handed it over. It wouldn't be the most expensive gift given tonight, but dammit if it wasn't the most thoughtful.

"You remembered me speaking of these items?" He looked over at you with an expression of shock.

It was nice to finally surprise the man in some way. You didn't expect to do so with your present, but hell, you were happy to catch him off guard in some way.

"Well, yeah. What, did you think when we were cooking that whole time all your words went in one ear and out the other? Do I look like Noctis to you?"

"What was that?!" The pouty prince sneered. "And why do you get to give your present early?"

"Fine, give him yours. I don't care." Your shoulders came up to shrug.

You took a seat once again at the table and Ignis sat beside you. "This gift is unbelievably generous. Thank you so much."

You spoke in a lowered tone so only he could hear you. "You gave me back a piece of my childhood, so I thought I should return the favor."

Honestly it was a coincidental timing that you gave him a present with items he mentioned from his youth. You said you were repaying him, but this was something you were going to despite him making the pie or not.

The night continued on, and it all went surprisingly well. Usually when you hung out with these boys something bad was bound to happen. Not this night. You got in another good dance in with Gladiolus, and all felt well in your world.

.

 **Apartment : 12:03am : 128 days**

"You know Prompto still thinks there's something going on between you and Ignis." Noctis shook his head.

The two of you were in his bathroom cleaning your faces before bed. You sat on his counter top facing the mirror and rubbing lotion into your face. The prince stood a little bit behind you as he did the same with his headband pulling his hair back.

Both of you were in pajamas getting ready for bed. Besides Ignis, you always had at least 3 articles of clothing at each boy's home.

You laughed, "I'm sure us dancing around for 45 minutes didn't help either."

His eyes met yours in the mirror, "I thought it was 25."

"No, trust me. I was watching the clock. It was 45. But you know there isn't right?" You pursed your lips to the side as you continued to rub in the lotion.

"That's what I told him. Anyway, did Gladio see your tattoo yet?"

You turned around and looked at the boy, "Somehow I got him to believe it says Good Vibes in an ancient language. He saw it for like 3 seconds total, so he hasn't had time to question it."

You held the bottom hem of your black shorts. "Don't tell Prompto I showed you this… Or Gladio for that matter."

Lifting the shorts you showed the boy your tattoo. There was no harm done giving Noct a quick flash at your butt cheek. Trust, he wasn't looking at anything but the tattoo.

"It's backwards?" His eyes widened.

"Hell yeah! I just kinda cheated the system, but that's his name." You laughed as you fixed your shorts back.

The boy laughed alongside you, "You're such a sneak squirt."

"Well, you know me." Your laughing continued as you tied up your hair in a neater bun.

As you exited the bathroom, Noctis called out to you. "Hey."

"What's up Noct? You better not tell!" You pointed a stern finger at him.

"I won't. I was just going to say you made Ignis really happy tonight. It was nice to see."

"He acts like a tight ass, but I know he's just a big man child underneath it all."

The black haired boy shook his head, "No, he's actually a tight ass. So is Gladio actually. You just kinda came along a did that thing you do."

You cocked your head to the side. Gladio was a tight ass? Guess you could kind of see it, but he didn't really act that way around you. Thinking back it made sense why Noctis was hiding from him in the park when you first met. Interesting.

"What thing? Be myself?"

"Yeah." He turned off the bathroom light as the both of you exited, "Whelp, night squirt. See ya in the morning."

You walked to the guest bedroom with the boundless words Noctis left you with. Did you really change these boys in the time you knew them? You hoped it was at least for the better.

If you did in fact change them, you wondered how they would fair when you left. How much did you really affect their lives?


	22. Rainy Days

**Amicitia Manor : 6:28pm : 125 days**

You sat in the vast backyard that resided at the Amicitia Manor. It was always nice resting back here and taking in the sight of the gorgeous flowers that adorned the yard. You were in one of the garden chairs watching the everlasting sparring match between Noctis and Gladio.

"Noct! Loosen your grip! You're never gonna knock him off balance like that." You coached from the sidelines.

The prince huffed as he staggered away from the taller man and toward you. "Why don't you do it then? I'm done!" He threw his wooden sword on the ground.

"Me? No, I couldn't." You shook your head in protest.

"Do it." Gladiolus challenged you jokingly, "Knock me down."

"What do I get if I do?" You switched your crossed legs so the right was now on top.

The man shook his head, "I'm not gonna let you spar with me. Your shoulder is still recovering."

You pulled your arm from the sling that you probably should have been wearing a lot more than you did. The damn thing didn't seem to make a difference, but you'd put it on when you remembered. Might have to pay for that one during your training.

"Toss me a sword. If you think I won't do well because of my shoulder then it shouldn't last long." You stood up, "Now then, what do I get if I win."

"You'll find out if you win." The bodyguard tossed you a wooden sword.

Just barely missing, the sword slipped your hands and landed at your feet. So far it didn't look too good, but he didn't know what you were truly made of.

"Let's do this." You held the sword outward and kept the arm with your hurt shoulder behind your back.

The tall man sighed, "One hand behind your back? Really babe?"

You nodded with a wide grin. "Don't hold back or I'm gonna be angry."

He proceeded forward with his sword drawn. You came with the first downswing and he'd block it. While in the deadlock, you threw a kick to the backside of his knee, forcing him to buck.

You pulled back and smiled. "Didn't think I'd go easy on you now?"

He grinned at you as he took back his battle stance. You'd come again as the aggressor and swing low toward his legs; you could tell that was a weak spot.

As his sword came down to block the strike, you gave another kick to his knee. "Baby, you just don't learn." Your head shook.

Ceasing the moment, you jumped onto the man, wrapping your legs around his waist. You moved your arm from behind your back and slung it over his neck. The other pointed the sword under his chin.

"Checkmate Sweet Pea." You gave a delicate peck to his lips.

"Not exactly." He smiled.

You looked down and saw his sword close to your abdomen. How long was that there? You couldn't ponder the question too long as he yanked the sword from your hand and threw it to the ground.

Dropping his own, he'd pull back your arms and wrap his own around you. It was that infamous iron grip, and try as you might, you weren't getting out of it.

"Oh right, I'm supposed to knock you down." He kept one arm around you and used the other to grip you at the thighs to lie you gently on the ground. "Can we assume what happens next?"

"Is it me getting fucked?" You stuck your tongue out.

"Whelp, that's my cue to leave." Noctis stood back up. "I'm going home."

"Fine then! Be that way!" You waved at the boy, "See ya."

Gladiolus lay in the chilled grass beside you. Damn it felt nice to have the Winters bite nipping at your ankles. The two of you were looking up at the fading sky. The clouds indicated that it would rain soon. It was gorgeous but also mood altering.

"I won." The man reiterated.

"I was there." You turned your back to him. "I never said you'd get a prize if you beat me, but I do like being fair, so what do you want?"

He fell silent for a moment, "You gotta make me dinner. We'll have to stop by the store to pick up some groceries though."

You shrugged, "Fine, but I feel like I need to change."

"Just go like that."

Your eyes fell down to analyze your very lax clothing. Blue jeans, a baggy brown off the shoulder sweater, and your hair in a messy updo.

"Fine, whatever. You going like that?" You tugged at the bottom of his plain white t-shirt. He had on some casual black joggers and running shoes.

"Hell yeah. C'mon. It's just to the store."

.

 **Supermarket : 7:13pm : 125 days**

You stood on the back of your shopping cart holding on and looking around. Gladio stood right behind you and pushed you along as you sought out the necessary ingredients.

"I need to go shopping for my own damn self now that I think about it." You looked around at all of the produce only to remember there wasn't much in your own cabinets.

"We can pick it up now if you want to." He shrugged, not minding having to carry a few extra bags.

"Nah, it's cool. I don't wanna drop them off at home. Too much of a hassle. Let's just get what we need for dinner."

The two of you continued down the isles and picked up things you needed. You'd try to sneak in some things you didn't need, but of course Gladio saw you sneak things in every time.

At one point you just snuck things in for the sake of getting being sneaky. It was funny trying to see if he would be able to catch you or not.

"Hmm, I think all we need now is a clove of garlic." You pursed your lips to the side as you tried to recall one of the dishes Ignis showed you.

He grabbed a produce bag and put the clove inside before tossing it in the cart. "That it babe?"

"Can we get ice cream? I wanna see if there's a new flavor I haven't tried." You leaned your head back on his shoulder.

"I'm almost positive you've tried them all, but sure. No objections here."

The two of you continued forward and you couldn't help but think about how annoying the two of you must have looked. Snuggling was all well and good, but seeing other people do it in public could be quite irritating.

The man behind you pushed the cart slowly through the frozen isle, and you narrowed your eyes at the selections. "I don't think there's one that I want. None that I haven't tried anyway. Let's check out."

You loved doing domestic things like this with Gladio. It made you feel like a real couple, not that you weren't to begin with.

The two of you stood at the checkout and you couldn't wait to cook this when you got back. There was something nice about making a meal for your boyfriend. He worked hard, and even though you were doing this because you lost sparring with him, you still wanted to make it special.

You grabbed a couple of bags and headed out, "Can we go camping?"

Gladio looked over at you with a frown on his face, "You couldn't even handle camping from the luxury of a hotel room."

"No." You shook your head, "I mean in the backyard. Break out the tent and read me off to sleep."

He laughed at your excited face, "You wanna camp in the backyard while it's raining? Sounds kinda fun actually."

"Right?! It will be!" You walked happily back to the car.

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 8:22pm : 125 days**

"Alright, the stew is cooking. Do you need help with the tent?"

You felt arms wrap around your waist. "No, I got it. It's up. When is the food gonna be done?"

Your hands came up to grab his face. You smushed his cheeks between your hands. "Probably like an hour. Let's just watch tv in the meantime."

A bit of time passed, and you lay sprawled out on the living room couch flicking through the channels on the television. You wore one of Gladio's shirts and a pair red shorts that you left in the guest room.

Gladio had your feet in his lap as he massaged away. He gave the best foot massages. They were always nice after a long day, but even still you'd take them after any day.

"Have you ever had your toes sucked?" The man looked over at you.

You frowned at his random question. "No, why? Are they just looking ever so delicious that you had to ask right now? You got a secret foot fetish I don't know about?" Your eyebrow rose.

"No, I'm just trying to find out what you're into." He laughed as he crept your foot toward his mouth.

"Eww! Don't Gladiolus!" You began to squirm. "Stop!"

You sat up but it was too late. You felt the warmth of his mouth around your toes. He loved to see you buck and fight. Your reactions were just too priceless.

He set your foot back in his lap and laughed, "Okay, not into toe sucking. Noted."

"Are you just gonna keep trying a bunch of shit until you find out all of my kinks?" You poked at his face.

"Yup, that's the plan." He nodded as he continued to massage your feet.

You lay back on the couch once again and sighed. "Is this gonna end with your fingers up my ass or something?"

"Maybe if you're into it." He gave you a devious smile.

"You're such a damn freak." You laughed. "What about you? What can I do to please my man, hmm? You want me to suck y-"

You sat up hastily as you smelled the stew still brewing. "Oh fuck!" You yelled as you ran to the kitchen.

It was nothing major, but it did spill over a bit. You turned off the stove and grabbed two bowls from the cabinet. Mmm, it was the recipe Ignis taught you just days prior. You could really pat yourself on the back for this one.

With two red, scorching bowls of soup in hand, you nodded to outside "Alright. In the tent baby."

Gladio happily obliged; turning off the television and grabbing the umbrella by the back door. He pulled back the blinds and your eyes amplified.

"Whoa, you broke out a big ass tent." You walked toward it as Gladio shielded you with the umbrella.

He opened the tent and allowed you to walk in first. There was a dim lantern in the center, two sleeping bags with Gladio's book on his, a tablet, and bunch of snacks in the corner.

You handed the man his bowl and took a seat on your sleeping bag. It was very spacious in here. Definitely could fit more than just the 2 of you, that's for sure.

"Two sleeping bags?" You looked at the man as you took a sip of your wonderfully executed stew.

"That's just so you feel comfortable. You can always come over to mine. I won't stop you." He took a bite of the tender meat in his bowl, "This is really good babe."

You smiled, "Thanks, and I might take you up on that offer. We'd only cuddle for survival purposes of course." You winked.

"What the hell else would we do it for?" He chuckled.

It was funny hear you two basically quote back the conversation you had on your first date. At that time you never expected yourself to end up here. You never expected to have a boyfriend anytime soon. Most of all though, you never expected to fall for the prince's bodyguard.

As much as you loved the sound of the rain, you kind of wanted to play some music for background noise. Grabbing the tablet, you turned on some music and continued to eat your stew.

"See, this is all I wanted the first time we went camping." You crawled over to the man. "Fucking Noctis is the one who wanted a hotel."

"I'll take you then." He pulled you in and gave a kiss to your temple, "If you're really trying to go camping we can go when it starts warming up."

"That would be fun." You nodded.

Gladiolus stopped eating momentarily to just look at you. "I was impressed with you earlier." He nodded as he recollected your sparring session from this evening. "You got some moves."

"Yeah well, one can't survive in this city being an Average Joe." You chuckled.

"Average? That's where I gotta disagree with you baby doll. You far from average."

"Think so?" You smiled. "Same goes to you. I see those constant eyes on you every time that we go out."

You spoke in a normal tone, yet there was just a tiny hint of protectiveness lying underneath. Gladio couldn't help who he was or the way he looked, and you trusted him enough to stay faithful. Even still, the stares they gave that man was enough to make any loving girlfriend even a little jealous. Mostly for the simple fact that it was rude and no one seemed to care that you were with him.

"Eyes on me?" He cocked his head to the side. "I don't see it."

"Yeah because it happens so often that you're probably just oblivious to it all now. Me, I notice." You took in another spoonful of the steamy stew. "As a girl who has done a good job of blending into the crowd, I can tell when there are eyes on me or people I'm with. Take my word for it. The girls are always looking at you."

His shoulders came up to shrug just briefly, "Let em." He spoke nonchalantly taking another bite and swinging around his spoon as he talked, "As long as no guys are staring at you baby doll then we're good."

You shook your head, "Oh no, trust me. No one is looking at me, so you don't have to worry about that."

That wasn't totally true. You were a head turner when you wanted to be. It all depended on how you carried yourself. By no means were you just completely looked over. If that were the case then Gladio probably wouldn't have chased you in the first place. That was something you also had to remind yourself. He chased you; not the other way around.

"I'm still looking at you." He didn't break eye contact, and his demeanor changed. It became more serious. Like he wanted you to know your worth in his eyes.

"I know baby." You nodded, "I'm still looking at you too."

Even still he had the power to rise the heat to those cheeks of yours. Man was he good at that. Didn't matter if you were feeling your best or worst. He made sure you knew you were beautiful to him.

You didn't want to stay on the subject too long, but you also didn't want enough silence to fill this tent to where the mood changed. Silence did not amount awkwardness, however you would still talk just to switch the subject before it was lingered on for any longer.

"I can't wait for all these clouds to clear up." You leaned lazily against your straightened arm as you looked out at the overcast through the small plastic window in the tent. "It'll be a lot of fun. Imagine camping and going to the beach. The warm weather can't come soon enough."

Your eyes glanced back at Gladio, "Oh I can't wait to kick the guy asses at volleyball with you." You laughed just thinking about it. With Gladio on your side there would be little effort in beating Noct and Prompto. Though Ignis was sort of a wildcard; as always.

"Seems so far away though." He nodded, "We can make a day of it. Definitely gotta get some barbecue going."

You looked up as you pondered, "I haven't had Iggy's barbecue before."

"Iggy? No, I'm manning the grill." He spoke almost offended-like.

"You Glado? Damn, okay." You gave a wink and grin.

You never had his food before, and truthfully you weren't expecting too much out of it. If push came to shove though, you'd let him know exactly how you felt about his food. Let it be known that you never forgot how truthful he was about your cake.

The two of you set your bowls aside and you both got in position for a long night ahead. The hands of time spun once again, and you found yourself just thinking away.

You sat up running your fingers through the man's hair, and he lay back with his head in your lap. He was reading his book as always, and the two of you were just enjoying the company of one another. No words needed to be said. You were just appreciative of one another's presence.

He set his book down on his chest, and you watched as his eyelids rose to meet your gaze. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all." Your head shook. "Ask and you shall receive."

He paused for a brief moment. "You don't have to answer if it offends you or anything like that, but, what exactly happened to your parents? I know you live with your aunt, so I just assumed.."

"They passed away." You nodded in confirmation of his whim. "Many years ago actually. Nothing that's too hard for me to talk about, but sometimes it does hurt to think about how different my life would have been if they raised me."

You sighed, "I don't even think my father ever got to see me before he died. Sucks, but sometimes we just have to come to terms with the fact that people in our lives just won't be there anymore, you know? Sometimes things are out of their hands and all they can do is play the cards they're delt."

He sat up and turned to you. "I am so sorry. I never meant to bring up a painful memory like that."

"No, don't be." You cracked a smile, "Like I said, it's a subject I can deal with. I'm not ignorant to the truth. Although she gives me tough love." You repeated under your breath, "Very tough love actually. I'm happy to at least have my aunt. For a long time she was the only person in this world that I knew I could give all of my trust to."

Gladiolus put a hand to his chest, "You can trust me. I won't walk away from you."

"I know." You looked down in an attempt to mask the fact that you were on the brink of tears for the thousandth time.

You wouldn't repeat his words back to him however. You wouldn't ask for his trust or tell him that you wouldn't walk away from him. It was just a matter of time before you did just that. Again, it was probably selfish, but you were giving yourself a little more time to tell him about everything.

All of it would come out after Valentines day which was right around the corner. You at very least wanted to give yourself one sold day to be with him. One solid day to not think about any of this mess.

"I love you Gladiolus." You gave the man a light kiss to his forehead.

"I love you too." He set his book to the side, "You ready for bed?"

You nodded, "Yeah. Probably time for lights out."

He rose up and turned off the already dimmed lantern. The two of you bundled up, and the sound of the rain beating against the tent put you fast asleep.

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 7:58am : 124 days**

You were sound asleep inside the tent until you felt it rocking back and forth. Perhaps the wind picked up?

You sat up and opened the tent, "Jared?"

You saw the older man breaking down the tent. He was startled by you having been inside there and him having not known.

"My apologies young miss. Please forgive me." He gave you a helping hand.

"Oh no, it's fine." You took the hand offered to you. "Do you know where Gladio went?"

He was not in the tent beside you. You assumed that he probably went off to the bathroom or something. It wasn't like him to just leave without saying goodbye. Even if you were groggy, you would have remembered him saying goodbye but he didn't.

"He went off to work pretty early. I know I don't have to say this, but you can always stay here until he returns. If you would like the tent up still I can keep that as well. Make you breakfast?"

"Oh no, you're too sweet. I think I better head home. Thank you though. I'll be back in a few days, I'm sure. Did you need help breaking down the tent before I go?" You put your hand on the tent ready for him to take your offer.

"No, it's perfectly fine." He dropped the dead weight of his arms as he held onto the side of the tent. "You aren't from Insomnia are you?" He quickly back tracked, "I'm so sorry. I don't mean to pry. You don't have to answer that. Please forgive me. That was an intrusive question."

Brushing a piece of hair behind your ears, you shook your head, "No. It isn't intrusive at all actually. I've lived here in Insomnia long enough to consider myself a native, but no. I'm still what you'd call an immigrant."

You stretched your arms left and right, "Catch ya later Jared." You smiled.

.

 **Home : 8:33am : 124 days**

You sat at home in your room just looking up at your ceiling. All you could do in this moment was ponder. What were you going to do for Valentine's Day. It was only 3 days away.

Maybe something sweet? Maybe something sexy? There was a lot to think about. Over all else you just wanted it to be fun.

Your body naturally flinched as your room door opened. It was of course the only other person who lived here; your aunt.

Her daffodil eyes searched around your room. "Where is it; the sword?"

You immediately hopped off the bed and made your way to the showcase with your steel arrows. You grabbed one and went to kneel back beside the floorboards. "It's under here."

Sticking the arrowhead in the crack, you pushed down with pressure until it lifted up. "It was very burdening so I put it under the floor. I'm very sorry."

She looked at you. Her eyes watched as you pulled the heavy great sword from its former confines. "You must be joking."

Her raspy voice nearly cracked as she spoke. "I refuse to believe you are that thick in the head. Disrespecting this blade. Perhaps you just aren't fit to claim its ownership."

"No! I'm so sorry. I just.. I didn't want my friends to find it. I would never intentionally disrespect that sword. You must understand that it was hard for me to sleep while it was in plain sight. Be it's history and all."

She shook her head, "I understand, but you will not have to worry about it's location much longer. Come, let's take a ride. Bring the sword."

You held the wrapped weapon in your arms. "Take a ride with this? If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know where we're going?"

"To the Citadel." The woman spoke as she began to leave your room.

You followed shortly behind still carrying the sword. "The...Citadel? Why?"

She turned to face you; stopping in her tracks. "It's about you meet the king."

You followed behind the woman as she began walking again. All you could do was remind yourself to keep it together, and don't let them see you sweat.


	23. Splitting Up

**Citadel : 9:20am : 124 days**

"When you meet the king, you cannot address him as your friend's father. This is your king, and you will show him the utmost respect, you understand?" Your aunt spoke as the two of you sat in the car momentarily.

The Citadel was nauseating. It was so huge, and heavily guarded. Never had you even thought of going here before, though you knew some day you would. It was just happening a lot faster than you thought.

You nodded, "I do."

Why were you going to meet the king now? You had to remind yourself to remain calm. Don't get starstruck again, and breathe. Your aunt was right though. You couldn't regard the king in the way you did Clarus. This was not Noctis' father, this was the king himself, and you had to treat him as such.

"Keep your chin up. Walk like you have a shred of confidence, and point the sword downward. When we get to the throne room, it will be you who presents the sword, so start thinking of your speech now." She finally stepped out of the car.

"Yes ma'am." No longer would you go off the cuff. You were following her lead now. Or so you thought. Dammit! How were you gonna present this thing?

The two of you continued on inside, and you did as she told you. Chin up as though you belonged here. You left all of the talking to your aunt. There was nothing you could possibly say. You wouldn't even know what to say if you had to speak. People didn't seem to care much about the two of you being here. Perhaps this was because it was scheduled? You did look a bit out of place in your black jeans and t-shirt. Just remember to breathe!

You both were guided to a long hall of elevators. It was intoxicating. This place was so decadently furnished. If you so much as chipped the wall you'd be paying out your ass for the rest of your life. Everything was so expensive. Remember, breathe!

The elevator opened and you had no honest clue where you were even headed. Clearly your aunt had been here a few times, and therefore knew where she was headed. You were being lead down twists and turns that you wouldn't even remember if there was money on it. Did you just blank? Breathe!

"You need to take a deep breath." The woman spoke to you. Her eyes glanced to her right side where you were walking. "Your face is changing colors."

So much for looking confident. You inhaled deeply, realizing that you hadn't been breathing this whole time. You put a hand to your chest and your eyes amplified. Holy shit, you were on the brink of passing out.

As the both of you approached the double doors to the throne room, you were stopped. Two men guarded the doors, and they looked at you as though they'd be ready to attack at any moment. Had you rose that sword even a millimeter, they would be ready to strike you down.

"What business do you have?" One of the men spoke in quite the intimidating tone.

Your aunt didn't falter. Instead, she pulled back the garbs shrouding her face, "The Champion of Niflheim."

It was as if she said she was the Goddess of Eos herself, because the two men hastily changed in demeanor. "Right this way ma'am. The king has been waiting to see you."

The two opened the doors and you probably needed an inhaler at this point. Nothing like entering the king's throne room to remind you of how insignificant you were in the grand scheme of things. The ceilings were so high. It was like nothing your eyes had ever taken in before. At the end of the room was King Regis himself, and he was looking at you. The king was actually looking at you.

Your feet hitting the ground echoed throughout the room. All eyes were on the two of you. The palms of your hands were sweaty, but you couldn't wipe them. You didn't want them to know how nervous you were, though it was probably clear that they already knew.

It was hard to see, but on the sides were more of the king's men. All of which sat above you. All of it just made you feel so inferior.

"Your majesty, it is my honor to present to you The Champion of Niflheim." Your aunt spoke first. She knelt at the bottom of the stairs as she did.

Not knowing what to do, you just did the same. "Your majesty."

You rose again and held up the sword, unraveling it from its red velour confines. "What I wield here is The Sword of the Damned. It is proof of my legitimacy. I am The Champion of Niflheim."

Your aunt stood once again and looked up to the king, "Her abilities are top notch, I assure you."

"I would like to see the sword." Regis spoke to you.

"Of course." You nodded.

You would not walk it up to him, but instead one of his men came to you so they could give it to him. The Sword of the Damned was a magnificent weapon. Gorgeous and the handle was adorned with jewels beyond imagination.

"I do not question the legitimacy of you or the sword you offer. I just question if you are fit to wield it."

It was now time to be candid. Yes you would still address him as your king, however he still needed to hear what you had to say. If you were going to be shamed for speaking freely then perhaps you were kneeling to the wrong king.

"Not fit to wield it? This sword was used by my mother, a commanding officer of a Niflheim army. With it she struck down many innocents. It was only toward the end of her days that she realized her life's work was wrong, and she ended up damned by her own blade. This is not a weapon I take lightly by any means."

Regis looked down at you from his seated position. His eyes stared intensely at you. "You still have not given me a good enough reason. What makes you believe they will accept you? How do you plan on hiding your identity?"

You bowed once again at Regis, "With all due respect sir, I've been good friends with the prince for the past 5 years, and you never knew I was The Champion of Niflheim until this very moment. I was right under your nose yet you never knew that I even existed. What I lack in strength I make up for in wit. Believe me when I say I can do this. I have been trained for this."

Finally your aunt interjected, "Her preferred weapon is the compound bow. A sword is not exactly necessary, however, it is just assurance we ask of you. A last resort if all else fails."

Regis stood from the throne, and that left the room feeling on edge. What was he going to say? Slowly he made his way down the stairs. It was really slow actually. He had the sword in one hand, and his cane in the other. Why the hell was he coming to you? You going to him would have been a lot easier.

Finally he was just a step away from you, and you found yourself dizzy once again. Your stomach was in knots, and you had to refrain yourself from throwing up or passing out.

"Does my son know?" His eyes locked onto yours.

"No. He doesn't." You shook your head. "However I do plan on telling him before I leave… unless it is your wish for me not to of course."

"I can see in your eyes that you are truly The Champion of Niflheim. I don't doubt your ability to infiltrate and maintain status. I will grant you the magic you seek."

It was a relief to hear him say that. Did he trust your word? Was it because you brought up Noctis? It was hard to say for sure.

"You know you cannot use this magic while you're in Niflheim, correct?" He kept the sword in his hands.

"Of course. Everyone knows this magic is tied to you. This would only be used as a last resort. I want all of my bases covered, but I assure you, I won't need it."

.

 **Citadel : 12:40pm : 124 days**

Well that visit didn't go as expected, but it ended on a good note. The details of your plan to infiltrate Niflheim was in place, and the weight of the world was really dragging you down at this point.

"Hey, you don't have to give me a ride back." You spoke to your aunt as the two of you walked down the steps at the citadel entrance. "Think I'll just hang out downtown for a bit."

She nodded, "I want you to know that I'm proud you were able to hold your own in there. However you must remember that these are people who want to see you succeed. It will be a lot harder speaking to those who expect you to fail."

"Thank you, I know. They won't see me crack though. I promise." You gave a confident smile and slowly continued down the stairs.

"A word." You heard a voice call to you.

"Yes?" Turning around, you saw that it was Daddy Amicitia himself.

"So you're the champion." The older man stood beside you on the steps.

Although you couldn't see it at the time, Clarus was in that room with you. In hindsight you should have known that. He was the king's right hand and all. It was probably a good thing that you didn't see him. You may have choked in that instance.

"Yes." You reiterated in a different tone. "Gladiolus doesn't know."

"I figured." He sighed.

"I love him." You looked at the man beside you, "I love him a lot, and my intention was never to hurt your son. I can see my position from your side of things, and you have every right to hate me."

It was quiet, and you'd swear that Clarus could hear your heart ponding outside of your chest.

"You can't see through my perspective. If you could then you would know that hate is not what I have for you."

You were surprised to hear him say that. If not hate then at least dislike? He couldn't just let this slide. You were going to hurt his son after all. There had to be some disdain toward you.

"Do you not want me to tell him? About my future that is." Your eyes directed downward as your fingers fidgeted with your necklace.

"That is not for me to say. You do what you think is right. His life is not mines to live."

You felt a brooding and powerful hand on your shoulder, "My only concern in the matter is that you return safely."

You looked at the man beside you with widened eyes, "Return, sir?"

A return was never something that crossed your mind. This was a one way trip. You would not jeopardize Insomnia or yourself just because you were feeling a little homesick.

"Yes. I suppose that's why worry hasn't exactly struck me. I know you'll find your way back. You are much stronger than you seem." He removed his hand and turned to start heading inside once again. "Just trust your instincts, and you'll never go wrong."

Those words would stick with you. Trust yourself no matter what. Once you crossed that border you would no longer be an Insomnian. The only person you could trust is yourself. It would be the test of a lifetime.

You continued to look out as you stood there a moment. Another hand touched you, but this time it was at your hip.

"Hey, what were you talking to my father about?" It was of course Gladio with his excellent timing. "And, what are you doing here for that matter?"

"Dammit, I guess Valentine's day couldn't have come sooner, could it?" You shook your head.

"What?" He frowned.

You turned to him, "Please meet up with me after work. There's something I need to tell you. It's not a conversation for here."

You walked out of his grasp, but he'd grab you once again by your arm to stop you from walking off. "What is it about? Something my dad said?"

"No, your father is amazing. It's me... it's... it's me. Don't think about it too much. I'll tell you everything after work, okay?" You stood on your toes and gave a kiss to his cheek, "Just text me when you're done for the day."

Finally you turned away and headed down the stairs of the Citadel. You had to keep your head high still. Not for show, but to remind yourself that what you were doing was right.

It was a long walk home, but no complaints as you needed the fresh air. You were getting ready to have that difficult conversation. Well, as ready you would ever be.

You planned a speech in your head, but knowing your luck it wouldn't go accordingly. It hurt you just thinking of the words you'd tell him, but they needed to be said. If not, then you'd never be able to exhale.

.

 **Home : 7:57pm : 124 days**

You sat on the edge of your bed with both feet planted on the floor. Your eyes were focused on your hand. You took a deep breath and summoned your weapon.

There it was; the Sword of the Damned. You'd been up to it for about an hour straight. The feeling was still so new; amazing. You just hoped you wouldn't need to use it while on Niflheim soil.

You flinched as you felt your phone vibrate against your left thigh. It was Gladio wasting no time to tell you he was on his way home. Now the nerves began to set in. What once seemed so distant was now just a few minutes away.

There was another vibrate, but this time it wasn't a text. He was calling you. He could tell from earlier that what you had to say was very important.

"Hello." You answered.

"You ready to talk now?" He took a stern tone with you, and it was clear that this was on his mind all day. Not your intention.

"This needs to be face to face. I'll meet you at Cypress Park okay?"

There was a lengthy pause on the line. It was almost too quiet. You could hear the tiniest pin drop if need be.

"You gonna break up with me?" His voice and question were very forward. No hesitance.

"I'll see you in 30, okay?" You hastily hung up the phone.

As of why you didn't just answer him honestly was really the true question here. You didn't want to hurt him, but you'd rather do it now than devastate him later.

.

 **Cypress Park : 8:26pm :124 days**

This was the park the two of you met, and it was also where you hung out for the first time, even if for a brief moment. There was significance to this place.

You walked with your hands inside of your puffy pink jacket. Not too far away you spotted Gladiolus sitting on the bench waiting for you... waiting for whatever it is you needed to tell him.

"Hey." Your voice rose slightly, "I apologize for the vagueness, but you'll understand once I tell you." You took a seat next to him.

The way he looked at you was both curious and stone faced. Like he was ready to hear anything. And trust he'd be doing all the listening.

"I only have 124 days to my name. The better half which will be spent outside the walls of Insomnia for training."

It was like word vomit that wouldn't stop. You told him everything just as you did with Ignis. As each word spilled out of your mouth he only listened closer. Not even so much as a deep exhale left the man. He just stayed quiet.

"When I get back I will only have 58 days. I don't want you to suffer through those with me and count down the days like it's a death sentence, so I think it's best to acknowledge the end of my rope and stop trying to climb."

You maneuvered so that your back was right against the back of the bench as you looked out at the park.

"No one ever prepared me for love. No one told how painful it would be when you had to give it back to the owner. I didn't want to drag anyone into my mess, but as life would have it, I did, and I hope that someday you'll forgive me for all of this, Gladiolus."

The wind picked up just a bit, but you weren't truly feeling it. The frigidness of the air had nothing on the words you'd say next.

"Don't wait for me." You looked at him again. "During the 60 days or the indefinite hiatus. I want you to be happy, and I can't do that if I'm not here. I don't know if I'll ever have a chance to return, and it would be so selfish to ask you to wait for me, so don't."

You smiled, but it wasn't out of happiness. You smiled in an attempt to hold back tears. Each word you spike, each syllable you muttered was another stab to your heart.

"In the time I've known you, you've made me so happy. Even just yesterday. Hell, even sitting next to you right now. I know this is a request I am far too unworthy of asking, but I leave in 6 days. I was hoping that you could be with me in that time? Just, as a friend at least?"

It was quiet again. Deathly silent. It was like nip of the Winter had been replaced with the chill of a graveyard. You respected the fact that he needed time to process everything, but he was now shaving minutes off the clock. It worried you.

"I'm sorry, I should never have asked. I should have expected you to be upset with me."

"Upset doesn't scratch the surface." He finally spoke to you, and in good time. For a second you were thinking this was a monologue rather than dialogue.

Gladio continued, "You knew this whole time, but you kept it to yourself. Were you just gonna tell me at the 11th hour? When you had 2 days left? Because from what I hear it sounds like your back was up against the wall."

"No, I was going to tell you sooner, but you have to understand how hard this is for me!"

He stood up from the bench and looked down at you, "Do the others know?"

You nodded, "Yes."

"Wow, so I'm the last to know?" The man paced away from you as took a moment to think about it.

"No, Noctis still doesn't know. You aren't the last." Your hands were placed coyly in your lap as you looked at him like a dog with its tail between its legs.

"I should have been the first person you came to. It's just disappointing that you felt like you needed to hide. Especially from me; someone you know for sure has your best interests at heart."

You nodded, "From my perspective I didn't know how to say it. I was a girl who barely had any friends. I'm not rich, and I don't have men asking me out very often. Then comes the prince's bodyguard. So far out of my fucking league, but he wanted me. Not only did the man destroy my walls, but he showed me what love was. He gave me his heart and in return I did the same, but now the time has come where I must give him his heart back so that he can one day give it to someone else... someone who will make him a lot happier than I did."

Goodness you must have looked a mess with the frozen tears coming down your face. It didn't matter though. You were speaking your reality.

"But he will keep my heart, because there's no way he could ever possibly give it back to me." You shook your head, "No, but the next woman who gets his.. I envy her."

"So that's just it then? You wanna end it all here and go our separate ways?" He cupped your face and gave you a farewell kiss.

"I don't want you to wait for a girl who may never come back." You stood up and looked the man in his eyes, "But I've been calling all of the shots here, and now it's time for me to let you. I don't want to end it here, but I don't want to drag you down, so I'll leave that up to you. While I'm gone for 2 months, I'll let you decide whether you want to stay with me for the remaining 58 days or not. Don't decide right now, because this is something that requires a lot of thought."

You didn't want him to make a choice too quickly. If he said he wanted to be with you then he might change his mind during the 2 months and realize that you were not the one. Anything could happen.

"I can tell you my answer right now." He stared into your eyes.

"Don't tell me. Think about it Gladiolus. I don't want you to find someone during the 2 months I'm gone and feel like you can't go for it. So as of right now, you're free to do as you will, but let me tell you this, if I ever get a chance to come back from Niflheim, I'll chase you. You'll probably be over me if that time comes, but I'll wear you down."

He lowered his hands and held you in his arms. Shit you were gonna miss that. The last thing you wanted to do was leave, but it wasn't about you. It was for him.

Of course in a perfect world you would ride out the rest of your days with him at your side, but that would be unrealistic.

Finally pulling away, you smiled, "At least I got to know what it felt like. Thank you."

You cried still as you walked away, but it was partly because you were happy. You had what many strived for, but never had a chance to feel. That was something you could be proud of.

It didn't mean that you two couldn't still hang out once you got back. Though it would be as friends... maybe with benefits? But that would defeat the purpose.

This one was gonna hurt for a long time. It was better now than later, but you meant what you said. If you were somehow able to come back from Niflheim. You were going after him, and you'd wear him down just like he did to you.

There was a large tree away from the park lights. The leaves were stripped during this time of year, but it was still so beautiful. You took a seat in the patched grass right beneath it.

You waited until you were sure that he was gone before pulling out your phone. You called the one other person you needed to have a chat with.

"Hello." Noctis picked up.

You didn't speak. You couldn't. It was too hard, and you just sobbed on the phone. If only you could mutter one word, anything at all. It wasn't the first time he got a phone call like this. He knew not to hang up and just wait.

"I'm on my way, okay?" He kept you on the phone as he began to leave his apartment.

This was the park you two often hung out. Whenever you were feeling down you would almost always come to one place and just sit until you felt better. He knew this.

"I broke up with Gladio." You buried your head in your knees as you sniffled.

"What? Why? I'll be there in 15 minutes max."

"No, Noctis. Not right now, please." You begged him.

You still needed to tell him everything as well, but this conversations like this was just exhausting. You needed at least a day in between to start up this whole conversation. You had an idea about how you'd tell Noctis though. It would be a way that was much less painful for the both of you.

Still you weren't looking forward to it, but at least it wasn't going to be as painful as this.

"I just need to be alone for a couple of days, but then I'll tell you everything. I'm sorry, I just called to tell you that, but I can't talk about it right now. It's still fresh."

"Take your time. You know I'm here when you're ready."

"I know Noctis, thank you." You hung up the phone and moved to lay on your side.

Your tears rolled down your face once again. It was so cold, and they continued to dry and freeze onto your face. It was unwise to stay here, but you just didn't have the energy to go anywhere else.

You began to shiver, even with the thick jacket shrouding you. The bite of the winter was still not as ferocious as that stab to your heart. Maybe it was what you needed to feel. Maybe it was what you deserved. It was better to hurt him now than devastate him later. Those were the words you had to once again remind yourself of.


	24. No Solution

**Home : 1:46pm : 121 days**

You were on your bed once again summoning your sword. The novelty still hadn't worn off yet. It was more than just a party trick. This was a power move.

You hadn't gone to school for days. You were too busy sobbing your eyes out at home. They were swollen accordingly, that's for sure. Didn't matter anyway. Seeing as you were getting ready to leave for 2 months you already had your missing assignments up to date. You weren't just sad because of what happened with Gladio. Things were falling into place, and it was a had pill do swallow. Your hand unclasped from the sword, and you watched as it faded.

You stood up from your unmade bed and walked to the bathroom to check yourself out in the mirror. You were in bad shape. Hair unkempt, eyes swollen, skin oily, and of course your body's natural reaction to being upset was to break out.

"Fucking hell." Your groggy voice spoke.

It was very deep and raspy from you having not spoken in days. Your throat was dry, and it hurt.

"I look a mess." You continued.

You rubbed a hand over your skin, and as you did you felt Benedict's furry body rub against your leg.

"Hey girl, looks like it's just you me. Soon I'll have to leave you too, but you'll be in good hands. I promise."

You sat on the ground and hugged the bloodhound. There were no more tears to cry. You were just becoming numb from everything.

"It's Valentine's Day girl. Too bad we're both single as shit.." You thought for a moment, "Wait, fuck this! Let's treat ourselves to a spa day! Go buy some bath bombs, essential oils, a bubble bar."

You stood up off the cold tile, "Come on, it'll be quick."

As you made your way to the front door, you had no intention of getting properly dressed. Sweat pants, a hoodie, and sneakers would have to do. You grabbed your purse, put on your dog's leash, and out you went.

It felt like you hadn't seen the sun in days. Probably because you really didn't. After locking up, you marched your way down the street. It felt like you were in the world's fish bowl, and everyone was looking at you. But truly, the only one looking at you, was you.

Normally walking anywhere didn't take too long, but today was different. Today you were really taking your time. It wasn't to admire the roses, but because you were in no rush to get to where you needed to go. No one was meeting with you.

"Hmm, maybe we can take just a short break really quick." You lightly tugged the leash, "Come on, I know a good spot."

.

 **Maple Leaf Garden : 3:10pm : 121 days**

You sat down at the bench atop the hill. It was so beautiful and yet so melancholy. Why did it feel like you fell from grace? This wasn't the end of your world; not by far, but it sure did feel like it in this moment. You took a deep inhale as you watched the clouds mosey on by. Benedict played and rolled around in the grass like the joyful dog she was. You'd like to say that this wasn't the life you chose, but it so clearly was.

"I told you." You heard the raspy voice of your aunt as she took a seat next to you on the bench. "You don't have to look forward anymore. The higher ups already know we are associated."

"Oh, right, sorry." You still looked out ahead.

"I told you not to go opening Pandora's box but you didn't listen to me. You're hardheaded just like your mother."

It almost made you chuckle to hear her compare you to your mother. You only had few memories of her, so it was nice to hear, even if it was about something negative.

"Why is it that you are able to visit Niflheim, Insomnia, and Altissia without being spotted? I would think that you, my mother's right hand would be a prime suspect."

A deep laugh bellowed from her throat, "I was a mercenary, but it was because of that, that they never told me much about their army and workings of everything. I got all of that information from your mother. This is also why you can't claim to be a mercenary. They'll never trust you fully."

Damn, and for a split second you thought you found a ticket back to Insomnia. Guess if it were that simple then she would have done it herself.

"If you happen to cross paths with any mercenaries, tread lightly, but not as lightly as you would the others. They are not to be trusted, however, they are also not paid to spill your secrets. You'd do well to remember that." She nodded.

"Counting on me slipping up? It won't happen." You shook your head.

"I know it won't, but I do know you and your need to decompress. I only offer words of assistance."

There was a momentary pause.

"May I ask you why you hated Gladiolus?" You kept your gaze forward.

"I didn't hate him, and I still don't. I threatened the boy so he wouldn't come near the house. Too many valuables that his eyes should never see. Your mother's sword included. Anyway, you can continue mope around for the next couple of days, but get it together by the time we leave."

"Yes ma'am." You nodded.

She got up and left the bench again. You sat there taking in the cool air. It'd been long enough. Back to it.

"Benedict, c'mon girl." You called.

She didn't come to you, but instead she began to run off. Great timing, perfect one would say.

"Wait! I give you an inch and you always take a mile! Get back here!" You yelled as you chased after her. "Hey!"

Your run slowed to a jog, and your jog to a walk. She only ever ran to one person besides you. This was perfect. Good thing you were looking your absolute worst, or this might be embarrassing.

"Oh, hi." You grabbed Benedict's leash, "Come on girl, let's not bother him. He's probably busy."

Benedict was suddenly pulled away from the hands of Gladio. Long lived that pet. He stood from his kneeling position and just looked at you.

"How you been?" He asked with a bit of concern.

"I've been alright." You answered quickly and began to make your leave.

"Happy Valentine's Day." He slid in his comment while you were still within earshot.

"Yup." You nodded; still walking away.

What else was there to say? You wanted to begin distancing yourself. It wasn't to hurt either of you, but so that he could have a clear enough mind to decide whether he wanted to be with you or not when you returned.

Emotionless was not your intent. You just had a limited amount of time to be around the man before you burst into tears again. He could usually read you well, so hopefully he understood that.

Back off to the store, you were. You were definitely gonna need the whole 9 if you truly wanted to relax. There was nothing about you that didn't scream tense at this point.

Further down the road was the store. Oh yes, you got everything you possibly needed to relax. Even if for a moment, you would be able to escape this rootless existence.

.

 **Home : 3:57pm : 121 days**

You lay cozied in the scorching hot body of water that was your bath. Candles lit, clay mask on, bubbles up to your neck, bath bomb working its magic. This was the relaxation you were looking for.

"Mmm, perfect." You sank in a little more.

It was making you sleepy again. So blissfully tired. Sleep; it was the only thing you had right now that could take the pain away. Once you woke up again, then perhaps it would be time to take that pain head on.

Slowly your eyes shut, and you were off in dreamland. Felt as though you only closed your eyes for a brief moment, as your doorbell started ringing.

"Oh, fucking hell." You stood from your bath and grabbed the towel off the nearby rack.

Your wet feet hit the ground and pooled water around where you had stepped. You checked your phone placed at the edge of the sink, and what do you know, you were only sleep for a good 6 minutes.

You hastily made your way to the door and saw that it was Prompto.

Opening it, you shrugged, "What are you doing here?"

"Well I was on my way home from school and thought I should stop by." He put his hand on the door as a silent plea for you to not shut it on him. "You gonna tell Noct still aren't you?"

Stepping back, you allowed him in. Benedict was happy of course; showering him with much doggy love.

You rose your voice as you walked back to your room to get changed. Long lived that bath. "Yeah, I guess there's no better time than now. Also, my house isn't on the way home. I know you just came to check on me Prompt, so thanks."

He offered a soft smile, "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't check up on you? Besides, Noct's been asking questions. Ignis is a steel trap, but I'm getting the life worn out of me." He sighed.

You exited your room once again in some lounge wear, "I'm sorry about that Prompto. I'll never do that to you again. I'm sure he's been bombarding you with questions, and you're a bad liar."

Grabbing your dog's leash, you hooked her up and headed out with Prompto. "I'll put an end to all of the questions. Ignis is there too right? I just want someone to stop Noct from killing me in case things get out of hand."

"He'll understand." The blond gave you a light pat. "If I could then I know he could."

.

 **Apartment : 4:45pm : 121 days**

You took a deep breath before entering. This one would be hard. Your oldest friend. Would he be angry or sad? Did it matter? You didn't want to make him feel either.

You unleashed Benedict at the door and allowed her to do as she pleased. Painfully slow you took off your shoes. Prolonging the inevitable. You felt like a kid in trouble.

Just like you were walking to death row, you walked into the living room. In the kitchen cleaning up was Ignis. His eyes widened upon seeing you. He hadn't heard from you in days.

He set down his hand towel, "Are you alri-"

"Where's Noctis?" You cut him off.

You couldn't bear to look at Ignis. You looked like hell, even after your short lived bath.

"He's in the restroom. He'll be out any minute. Are you okay though? You seem unhappy."

You took a seat on the couch and lifted up your legs so you could wrap your arms around your knees. Your face lowered, and you sank into your oversized jacket hoping Ignis would just leave you be.

"Doesn't matter." Your muffled voice replied. "It's not about my happiness... it never has been."

The couch sank in beside you, and you knew it was Ignis coming to comfort you. He was good at it, and never wronged you. It was the only reason you snapped out of being so detached towards him.

"My whole world is finally starting to center, and the more it does, the blurrier it gets." You moved your feet to the ground once again.

"What does that even mean?" Prompto took a seat in the chair near your right side.

"It means the closer she gets to her end goal, the less she knows about the outcome." Noctis spoke as he walked out of his room, and you perked right up. "So let's hear it."

He knew you had some huge secret hidden. There was no better time to tell him. You were leaving in just a few short days, so here it was.

"I'm leaving, Noctis. I'm leaving to Niflheim in 4 months and I don't know if I'll live or die."

Noctis wasn't as quiet as the others, no. He had questions.

"So that whole thing about you leaving and never coming back... I knew that question didn't sit well with me." He sat directly in front of you on his coffee table.

"Noctis. I'm gonna tell you everything, but please. Hold your questions or I'll never get through this."

You had to speak quickly. When it came to you and Noctis he was hasty to call you out when things didn't make sense. He would respect your request to hold his questions, but just after your first sentence you could tell he had about 14 already.

This was news to Prompto as well. He was never informed about this. He took this news the complete opposite way by remaining quiet with no questions at all.

You stood up from the couch. "Stand back please."

Just as you'd been doing for the past few days, you summoned your weapon in all its glory.

"Just in case you thought I was not telling the full truth. There's no faking the kings magic." You nodded, "Look at the grip. It doesn't fit me."

No, it didn't fit you. It was hand crafted to fit your mother. It felt weird just holding it, but you'd have to get used to it.

"Why did you wait so long? Do you not trust me? Seeing as Prompto and Ignis aren't reacting I assume you already told them? Why does it have to be you? How long has my father known about this?" He was spewing one question after another. It was becoming overwhelming.

"Okay, let me answer these one at a time." You released your weapon and allowed it to return to its origin. "I waited because I was scared. I couldn't find the words to tell the people I love that I was unsure about my future. Yes Prompto and Ignis knew, but I made them promise me they wouldn't tell."

You paused for a second trying to think what else he asked. "It doesn't have to be me, but this is business that involves me, and I wouldn't want this honor to go to anyone else. Your dad, the king has known about it for only a couple of days, but what I'm telling you right now is classified information."

You took a seat once again on the couch to face Noctis. You scooted to the end of the cushion and placed your hands over his. Pleading, were your eyes. Sickening as always, but this time it wasn't an insincere expression. It was real.

"No one except the people who were in the throne room that day and the four of you guys know the details of my itinerary. So to answer your question, yes, I do trust you. However, if you lost trust in me, so be it. Can't say I don't understand."

Finally he was silenced. He could understand why telling everyone this news was hard. Still inside he was pretty offended that he wasn't the first you told.

"How is there a possibility of you not coming back? I just don't understand that." The prince shook his head.

"I can't get in close and just leave. It's too suspicious. Trust me, there have been many others who never made it back home. You know, I was never supposed to be friends with any of you. Just for the simple fact that they might use it against me, the Niffs. If they ever catch wind that I was this close to the royals... I won't die, but I definitely won't make it home ever again."

He seemed upset. Just as everyone else, he wasn't upset at you, but rather the situation. He wished he could change this, but fighting and arguing over it would make things so much worse. He was childish at times when it came to things he wanted, but not something definite like this. He had to be an adult and accept the truth.

"What about your aunt? She'll be seeing you. So maybe we can keep in contact though her. We don't have to cut all communication just like that!" The prince rose his voice in an almost desperate manner.

"She doesn't live here in Insomnia anymore. Once I'm gone she's going back to Altissia for good. She's been packing up the house for a while now. She's only coming back every so often to speak with the king. Besides, even if she did stay I doubt she'd relay any of our messages. She's… strict about that. Thinks it'll take my mind out of it." You placed a hand to his shoulder, "Noctis I've already accepted it. Please don't make this hard on yourself by trying to find solutions with no end. Trust me, I've thought of them already."

He took in your words and let them linger in his mind. Everyone did. Trying to find a way around this would only complicate things. He had to understand. If there was a solution you would have found one already. So many nights were spent awake with you thinking about this. It was your life, and this was the way you chose to live it.

"Just one more question." Noctis narrowed his eyes, "What does this have to do with you breaking up with Gladio?"

"You broke up with Gladio?!" Prompto yelled.

"You didn't tell them?!" Your tone chanced to quite surprised.

The raven haired boy shrugged, "It's not my business to tell."

That was surprising but also not. He was a good person to tell things to, and also a bad person to receive information from. This seemed like one of those things he would sort of gossip about, but you were wrong. Hell, you wouldn't have minded. It wasn't even really gossip at this point.

"Well, I don't want him wait on me. Years may pass without him ever knowing. Maybe even forever. That's a losing bet and it's best I rip the bandaid off now." You walked over to the window with tears in your eyes.

This was getting tiring. It seemed like all you ever did was cry nowadays. The exhaustion from it was setting in, and you couldn't take much more. Tears didn't make you weak. Holding them in did. If you didn't cry now you'd be on edge for who knows how long.

"I just hope that when he finds someone else, because he will, that she makes him 1000 times happier than I did. I hope she's prettier, stronger, and more understanding. He deserves it." You meant what you said, and it silenced the room.

"She won't." Noctis stood up once again to stand at your side. "No one can put up with his shit the way you do. I honestly feel bad for the next girl. There's no replacement."

"No." You shook your head. "Be good to her, all of you. Whomever she is. The same goes for friends. Don't be afraid to let others in. Don't think of it as a replacement, but as an addition. That's why I wanted to break this new to you in front of both Prompto and Ignis. So you guys can see each other and remember you can always lean on one another. I know that you already knew that, but I think seeing is much better than just telling."

You turned to face the group again, "So I'll give you the same options I gave Gladio. You can continue to be my friend after I come back from my 2 months of training, or-"

"Don't be ridiculous." Ignis spoke after a long moment of being quiet this whole time.

"Yeah, that's a terrible suggestion." Noctis finished the man's thoughts. "It's a lot to process, and trust that while you're gone I will be doing that... but I'm your friend. Don't take that away from me."

"Well said." Ignis nodded once more.

It brought a smile to your face to hear them fight for you like that. A slight smile, but it was there nonetheless. Everyone but Prompto that is. Something about this information had the boy oddly quiet, and it wasn't like him. Perhaps knowing the details was too much for him at this moment. It was understandable.

"Prompto, do you have something you'd like to ask me?" You cocked your head to the side.

"What do those barcodes look like? Do you know?" He casually asked.

You shrugged, "Couldn't tell you. Anything from a 39 to a QR. Like I said, I wasn't in the infantry long enough to get one. That all?"

He nodded, "Yeah... but please stop saying you don't know if you'll make it back home. You will."

Your hands rubbed the tears away from your face, "I'll do my best not to get myself killed. The memories I have of you guys will keep me strong."

"Now give me love goddamnit!" You opened your wingspan for a hug, "I'm gonna go back home and loathe being a single son of a bitch in peace."

Prompto practically flew into your arms as soon as you mentioned love. You gave a kiss to his forehead and just held him in your arms.

"When I come back, I don't want my last 58 days to feel like a funeral. You hear me? None of that. I just want to enjoy my time with my friends." You smiled softly.

The smaller blond looked at you as you both were still in one another's grasp, "Can I... see the tattoo before you leave?"

"Holy shit, you don't let anything go, do you boy?" You nodded, "But ya know what, fuck it. I'll let you see it before I leave."

"Yes!" He lifted you off the ground and every time he did something like that you were certain he would throw out his back or topple over.

"Put me down! Stop making me happy! I'm single as fuck! Let me mope about it today!" You laughed as he set you back down.

You walked over to Noctis and lazily threw your arms around his waist from the back side. Your head rested on his back, and you laughed as you felt the vibrations from him speaking.

"Squirt?"

"Yeah?" You smiled with curious eyes widened.

"Let's hang out before you leave for 2 months." The prince's head turned to the left so he could partially see your face.

"Paintball!" Prompto shouted, "Come on! Guns, paint, winning!" The boy continued on, "They just opened that new place downtown!"

Noctis frowned, "Somehow I feel like that's just an unfair advantage for you Prompto."

You let out a soft laugh, "Well, we didn't go last time so... I'll go if Iggy goes."

Why were you so notorious for making him do things? At this point they probably weren't things that he didn't want to do. They were more like, things that he wouldn't normally do on his own. Besides, it made him happy to see you happy. It made a lot of people happy to see you happy.

While still holding onto Noctis, you poked at Ignis' thigh with your foot. "Come on. I'll need someone to be my partner. You wouldn't leave me alone with these two idiots now would you?"

It never took much poking for Ignis to crack. "Sounds like it could be fun."

"It will be!" Prompto nearly cut off his words with his hasty response.

"Whelp, time for me to sulk. See ya boys." You grabbed Benedict's leash and headed toward the door.

Noctis rose his voice a hair as you made your way to the door, "You know, you're welcomed to stay here."

"I just bought a bunch of spa stuff and I'm not letting it go to waste. Besides, I have some things I need to figure out on my own."

As your hand reached for the handle, the knob turned and the door opened right before your eyes. Fate was a cruel mistress; as she led Gladio right back into you unwavering path for the second time.

"S-sorry, I'm leaving right now." You kept your head down as you walked past him.

He watched you walk past him and continue a bit down the hall before closing the front door again.

"Half-Pint." He still called you by that nickname; endearing.

"Yes?" You remained forward.

"We don't have to make this as awkward as possible for the last 3 days that you're here."

You clenched the leash in your hand, "Gladio, I just don't want to hurt you. Just in case you decide against staying with me, I don't want my presence to prevent you from moving on. So I'm sorry. I'll try to be less cold about it, but I really don't want you to feel like your time has been or will continue to be wasted."

He shook his head, "Even if you just left without saying anything it wouldn't have been a waste of time."

It felt like 1000 pound were strapped to each leg, but you had to get a move on. No more standing around in this hall. You had to go home.

"Just promise me you'll give it a good think Gladiolus. Trust me, it's killing me not to be with you, but your happiness is more important than mine."

With that you continued on. There was no looking back physically and metaphorically. It was time for you to rerun that hot bath water and sulk until you got to hang out with the others once again.

You really weren't looking forward to the training that was coming, but again, you chose this path. All you could hope was that it was worth the sacrifice.


	25. One Call Away

**Downtown : 5:18pm : 118 days**

Heavy breathing, hands calloused, forehead sweaty. Shirt filthy with the stains of your mistakes.

"I'm gonna go in. When they target me I want you to shoot them. I'll lose, but I don't really give a damn." You gave a breathy smile as your back was currently against a wall.

Ignis was to whom you spoke. He looked as though he hated the idea. He wanted to be the fall guy, but you weren't going to let him. He always took the fall. This was your chance to go out heroically.

"I don't thi-" He started.

"Let's be real Scientia. I'm definitely more of the kamikaze type." You smiled, "Besides, the sooner we're done with this the sooner we can go eat."

Just as you were coming out from behind the wall, you heard the voices of Prompto and Noctis yelling.

"Dammit!" Prompto shouted. "I thought you were Iggy!"

Taking a look, you saw that both the boys accidentally shot one another.

"Hahaha! What idiots!" You laughed

Your laughter only ceased when you lowered your gun and pulled the trigger on yourself. Pink paint splattered your foot.

"Wait! That doesn't count!" You worriedly spoke.

"Haaaa! It does!" Noctis laughed at you equally as hard as you did him.

You felt so lame. Why did it have to be like this? No sense in being a baby about it. You just gave into the laughter.

"I'm hungry." Prompto got out the last bit of his hilarity.

"Come on. I know a good place." You smiled, "Maybe we can come back for a couple more rounds if we're up to it."

Noctis looked at his paint covered clothes, "We're going like this?"

"Yeah. It's not like we're going to some fancy restaurant. Feast like us commoners your highness." You giggled.

The four of you packed in into Ignis' car. He was not too thrilled about you all getting in with paint on your clothes, but it was dry, so who cared, right?

About 10 minutes away was a nice little burger establishment you often went to. Secretly Noctis loved when you took him to places like this. It was the reason you two became friends so fast. You introduced him to the world of being an average citizen.

After the four of you ordered, you took your food and sat outside to enjoy the cold breeze.

"When I get back it won't be winter anymore. I can't wait." You spoke before taking a sip of your drink.

Truly you were excited for the season change. It had been cold for so long, you almost forgot what the other seasons felt like. It would be good to see the blossomed flowers when you came back. Fitting for your arrival.

"Yup. When you get back it'll be spring. The flowers are gonna be so nice." Prompto smiled at the thought.

"It's gonna be weird with you gone." Noctis sighed. "Quieter."

"Just say you're gonna miss me." You reached across the table to pinch his cheek. "It's okay to show a little emotion."

He swatted your hand away. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, if you and Gladio call it quits for good are we never gonna hang out as a full group again?"

"No, I would never do that." You shook your head. "He's welcomed anywhere. So even if we don't, I promise not to make it weird. He was your friend long before he was ever mine. Gladio is an amazing person. I couldn't shut him out like that."

Even the thought sickened you. If you couldn't have him as a lover than a friend would have to do. Still, your selfish mind didn't even want that. But something was better than nothing.

"So where are you going to train?" Ignis turned to you. "I assume somewhere distant considering the length of your departure."

You shrugged, "No idea. Maybe Altissia? My aunt doesn't clue me in on shit. Hell she'll probably take me straight to Niflheim and be like 'Surprise! Now use that anger you have toward me to fuel you! Kay bye!' Seriously, that's some shit she'd pull." You laughed.

While you were so busy laughing you didn't realize that no one else was sharing the moment with you. The topic of you leaving for good was still fresh on everyone's mind, and it was too soon to make light of it.

Noctis just stared at you, "That's not funny."

Prompto nodded in agreement, "Yeah, that's not actually gonna happen is it?" His curious eyes locked onto you hoping for an affirming answer.

You rolled your eyes, "No, of course not. My aunt is cold but she's not heartless."

The four of you sat in silence as you continued to eat. It was thick with tension. You shouldn't have made that comment. It got everyone thinking, including yourself.

"It won't happen you guys. I was just kidding." You spoke out to reiterate your point.

"I don't like this." Noctis set down the fry in his hand. "I can't sit around and fake like everything is okay. I don't like your plan. I think it's shit. I think you should just stay here in Insomnia. If you really wanna fight Niflheim then start training to be a glaive or something."

You shook your head, "Not everything in this world is as easy as quitting, Noctis. I love you guys. You're everything to me. If you having a future means I have to lay down my life then I'll do it with no regrets. This is bigger than just you and I."

A dainty smile adorned your face. "Time will pass and you guys may not even remember what I look like, or I you... but I'll always remember how you made me feel."

"Stop!" The prince blurted. "I don't even wanna think that way."

You were so taken aback by him yelling at you. It seemed like the more he thought about it the more upset he got.

"How long have you known?" Noctis grimaced.

You remained quiet as though you didn't know the answer. You did though. As soon as he asked, the answer popped right into your head.

"Well 77 days ago my aunt sai-"

"You know that's not what I meant!" He barked.

The boy was right. You knew he wasn't talking about the beginning of your days. In all honesty you knew ever since you moved to Insomnia as a young girl.

"Are you sure you wanna know the answer?" Your voice lowered in sadness.

"That long ago huh? And you never thought to tell me until 2 months before you leave for good?" He grit his teeth.

"I'm not gonna make excuses. So fuck me. Is that what you wanna hear? Fuck me! I'm a piece of shit friend! I don't deserve any of you guys! So fine I'll just, I'll go."

You walked out of the establishment feeling both sad and angry. You were angry at Noctis, but you knew you didn't have the right. Still, didn't he know how hard this was on you? He couldn't have, or else he probably wouldn't have asked the questions he did.

"You won't go after her?" Ignis questioned Noctis.

The stubborn boy furrowed his brows and shook his head without a word. He wasn't going to chase after someone who claimed to be his best friend but had been lying for so long.

"Noctis, sometimes you have to put yourself in another person's shoes. She is not receptive to anger, and expressing yourself accordingly is only going to leave you with more unanswered questions." The blond shook his head in disappointment of you both.

"Of course you're on her side." The raven haired boy grumbled, "You always are. Why won't you go after her then if you're so concerned?"

Ignis pushed his glasses up a smidgen. It was as though he were content with the statement. "Because I don't have to. She knows where I stand. She knows I support her completely."

It was beginning to become too much; did you press on or turn around to apologize? The latter was not really an option. You already tried that way. You weren't expecting anyone to chase after you, but it would have felt good if they did. Like they may have cared.

Two months was a long time to think. Perhaps when you returned he wouldn't be mad at you, or worse, his sitting on it would just make him more irate. A heartbroken ex and a hurt friend. Ah, your life was shaping up to be a wonderful thing, now wasn't it?

Your emotional state remained the same during your walk home. You were completely oblivious to your surroundings at this point. Why did you have to befriend anyone? Being lonely was better than hurting people.

Never had you planned to walk from downtown to home in your crisp paint splattered clothes. Maybe you looked pathetic to people, but it mattered not. The only opinions you cared about were of people who weren't currently speaking to you.

You didn't have the energy to go inside your house, so instead, you just sat on the porch and thought for a while… a long while.

.

 **Home : 9:32pm : 118 days**

There was just a slight shiver to you now. It was cold, but not freezing. You were tired, but too jittery to fall asleep. Would you really leave things like this? It wasn't your call, but everyone knew what time you were going to leave come tomorrow.

If they had any final thoughts or opinions they wanted to share, they could tell you then. For now, it was time to hit the mattress whether you liked it or not. You stood up to head inside, but as you did you could hear the footsteps of a person approaching your house.

Before you turned around, they spoke, "You should never go to sleep angry you know."

Ah, of course, Gladiolus. How did he know you were angry anyway? How did he know you'd be home by now? Well, he did know you were leaving tomorrow, and he probably wanted to drop off his final thoughts as a farewell.

Finally you faced the man that was just feet away. It seemed at this point his very presence was enough to get your eyes watery. Guess you weren't over it, or the thought of losing him.

"Well, some things you just can't control." You shrugged. "I have to wake up early anyway, so if you don't mind…"

"No, I do mind actually." He walked closer to you, but not much. "Why do you do this? You hold all the cards and you don't ever deal them equally. You give the information that you want to give, and when you get called out for it you play the victim."

Your head shook. Was this really why he came? To argue? On any given day you wouldn't back down, but not this night. You were too drained and tired. A fight is the last thing you wanted, and you weren't going to fan the flames.

"I don't want to fight with you Gladiolus. If you want to hear me call myself a piece of shit or self deprecate for you, I've got about 5 minutes to lend." Your eyes had reached a point beyond sadness. They were just numb and empty as you looked at him.

"That's not what I came here for." He shook his head disappointingly, "I just wanted you to own up is all, but it looks like I won't be getting that."

Your shoulders came up to a shrug, "I don't know what else I could possibly own up to. I told you that I'm leaving. I assume you've talked to Noctis by now, so you know that I've known about my leave for a very long time. What else do you want to hear from me? I have nothing else to offer."

He paused and let the noise of the city fill your ears just momentarily. "Was this relationship ever real to you, or were you using me for comfort before you left?"

That question, it was like a dagger to the heart. How could he ever question that? It made sense in this case however. If you knew you were going to leave then you probably wanted someone to help ease your mind in that time. Even if you knew you'd have to give him up, he was at least nice to have in the moment. No, that wasn't how you felt at all.

Emotionally drained is what you thought you were, but after a question like that, you had just enough passion in reserve to tell him exactly how you felt.

Your eyes remained locked with his as you walked closer to him. "Don't ever question that. Don't you EVER question that Gladiolus Amicita. I never used you for comfort. I loved you. There were nights where I lay awake thinking about giving up everything I worked for because of you. I don't expect you to believe me now, but this is me being candid. You said that even if I left without a word it wouldn't have been a waste of your time, but now you're suddenly feeling like it is?"

"I never said that." He rose his voice at you, "I never said that I felt like my time was wasted! I just don't know what to trust when it comes to you anymore!"

A laugh surfaced from you; sarcastic of course. "Oh, you don't know what to trust? Maybe that would be warranted if you found out about my situation instead of me telling you! I told you because I respect you! I never lied, I just omitted the truth!"

"Maybe next time you should lead with the truth and people wouldn't be so upset!" He snapped back.

"Right." You nodded, "Oh hi, would you like to be my boyfriend? I have less than 200 days to spend with you, but that's okay because I'm a good fucking person to be around! You wouldn't have given me a chance if I lead with that shit, would you?!"

The silence crept up on the two of you again. It was an interesting scenario you just brought to light. If you were honest about your situation would Gladio have still went after you? The moment of stillness seemed deathly long. It was like time froze itself.

Gladio crossed his arms, "Well I guess we'll never know."

"That's your answer?" You nodded, "You're wrong, we will know actually…" You took a step back toward your house, "You take this 2 months apart to figure out what the hell you wanna do. Then we'll answer the age-old question."

Your voice got more sarcastic as you spoke, "Then we'll see what's really going on in that mind of yours. Until then, goodnight. I have a big day tomorrow as we both know and I don't want to lose any more sleep."

It was hard to turn away from the man in the way that you did, but you had to leave. Parting with bitter words was never the greatest feeling, but there was so much going on that it was hard to control the words you spoke at this point. Why did things have to be so complicated?

The selfish part of you wished that he would ride out the 58 days with you, but the caring part of you wanted to end it all right here for his sake. You knew there was practically no chance of you finding love after him, but he definitely had one.

It would hurt, but even if he moved on during the 2 months, you'd be fine with that deep down. Again, it was about his happiness; for the long term anyway. You may have just yelled at him and fought, but it was honestly out of love.

Seemed silly to think that way, but perhaps he could see that too. If you didn't argue with him then that would be something to worry about. Only people who care are willing to put their emotions out there the way you did.

You headed inside past the living room and to your own. You nestled in under the blanket and stared up at the ceiling. Is this what it would be like when you returned? Hopefully no more arguing… not from anyone.

It made you think about the events that happened today though. Even starting back with Noctis from just a few hours ago. Were you wrong to withhold that information, yes. Were you wrong to fear his reaction to the news, no.

Your fists balled up as you clenched the blankets just thinking about it. There's always a higher road to take, and you felt as though you didn't take any of them tonight.

The guys probably felt torn on who to side with. You didn't want that to happen either. Besides, you knew how they felt, and their support was with you even if they weren't.

You weren't mad at Prompto or Ignis for not asking if you were okay. You knew they were all using one another as an emotional crutch right now. You wouldn't hold it against them. Noctis needed them more than you did. If not for emotional support, then to smack some sense into him.

Feeling like a bad friend was something you weren't used to. Maybe time apart from all of them would shape up to be a good thing. Hopefully some clarity would come to both you and them. A new lease on life maybe?

Seemed like the best thing to do now was pack up for tomorrow. You didn't know what to bring, but it wouldn't be too much.

You untucked yourself from your blanket and headed to your closet. If you knew your aunt as well as you thought you did, she was probably going to be against bringing any sort of suitcase.

Again you fidgeted with the red diamond necklace you wore. You contemplated taking it off and leaving it here. No, you couldn't. It hadn't come off in years. It would feel too weird removing it now.

"Maybe I'll just bring this?" You held up a single black shirt. "Ughhh, fuck it I'll do it in the morning!" You fell back to the floor once again looking up at the ceiling.

You'd lay awake until your eyes were literally too heavy to keep open. Tomorrow was the second worse day you were dreading. It was going to be intense, but you could do it if you kept your mind right.

.

 **Home : 5:30am : 117 days**

"We're leaving in 30 minutes. If you have any last phone calls to make then do it now. I don't wanna hear any regrets on the road. You hear me?"

You nodded, "Yes ma'am. I don't think anyone wants to hear from me right about now."

All you would send is a regular goodbye group text to the quartet. Goodbyes were so melodramatic anyway. This would be for the best.

You slung your backpack over your shoulder, "No need to wait. Let's just go."

Didn't take much convincing there. All was set and ready. Before you knew it, the two of you were on the road and heading for the Insomnian boarder.

Your pocket vibrated, and you pulled it out to see that you had an incoming call. It was Prompto, and for the long time you've known him his ring tone has always been the same, but through your filtered ears it sounded so much more urgent, although it was the same melodic chime.

"Hello?" You picked up.

"You're leaving right now?" The blond boy spoke in a panicked tone.

You on the other hand were more relaxed. You accepted all that you'd been given by both life and your friends. There was a bounciness to your voice; almost cheerful.

"Yes, I told you this. I must get going though. I head past the Insomnia boarder in a few minutes and I don't want roaming fees." You chuckled at your ridiculous joke.

"I'm just... gonna really miss you... Be safe.."

You smiled from his words. They were so warm and delicate. "I'm gonna miss you two, but it's only two months. It'll be quick. Tell the guys that I'll miss them too okay? I love you Prompto. Take care."

He was probably too busy getting choked up to reply right away, so you just finished for him. "See ya in 60."

You ended the call and sighed. Tough, but such was life.

"May I ask you where we are headed?" You looked over to your aunt.

"Home." She replied simply.

"Home? ...but home is back there, well, here in Insomnia. I'm sorry, home?" You frowned a bit confused.

She pointed at the bag behind your seat. "Once we get past the boarder you will put those on and don't say a word."

You looked into the bag and it was black garbs just like the ones she wore. What was the meaning of this? She was being so weird and offering no answers.

"Forgotten already have you? Pity." She shook her head, "Your memory will return the closer we get."

Your heart began to race. Was your conversation with the boys really coming true? Was she taking you to the worlds edge that was Niflheim? No way! She couldn't be!

You swallowed hard on your saliva. "You aren't taking me... to Nif-"

"I already told you where I am taking you. It's not some hidden message, but if you can't figure it out then so be it." The woman snapped at you. "Now put those clothes on. We have a boat to catch and it's going to be a long ride."

You did as you were told and hardened your heart. You had to prepare for anything beyond this point. If you were being lead to Niflheim, you couldn't falter.

There was what felt like a golf ball sized lump in your throat. You had to keep it down. No more crying. One thing that bothered you was now realizing how right Noctis was for being mad at you. He was totally justified, and you hated thinking that way.

Your hands shook as you began to put the clothes on, and it was just like hers. All was covered but the eyes. They were hot, and the material weighed heavy. It was clear that you were hiding for some reason. That reason being unanswered.

It was weird seeing the outskirts of Insomnia in this light. You felt like a different person, really. The beat of your heart drummed even faster as the car drove deeper into this vast world.

"You may want to go to sleep. It'll be a long ride." You aunt softly spoke to you.

How could you sleep? Your instinct told you that you'd be waking up in a place you didn't know and that you didn't like.

"Sure." You replied hesitantly.

Moving your seat back, you lowered your eyelids but kept them open just enough see the road. You weren't going to let one get pulled over on you. Why was your trust in her so shaken? She was tough, but as you stated to the guys she wasn't heartless.

Either way there was miles of road ahead of you, and you had to mentally prepare for anything… It was quite early still, and the cool gust of air conditioning was sending you right off to sleep.

She said you two had a boat to catch which possibly alluded to the fact that you were going to Altissia. So if that were the case, you definitely would be woken up before you got there. Maybe it was safe to rest your eyes for now. Be on guard, but rest.

You let the bumpy road be your rocker, and with that you fell fast asleep. Shameful in a way. How could you rest under these circumstances? The true question was, how could you allow yourself to lay awake.

Perhaps when you woke up it would be much better. You would get answers. Maybe when you woke up you'd be back in Insomnia. Grasping at straws, yes, but a much better thought to sleep to than Niflheim.


	26. So It Begins

**Galdin Quay : 11:25am : 117 days**

You had a dream this morning. A dream that you were much older, and in some foreign place. It was night time, and your friends were gone, but you sat anxiously by the phone for some odd reason.

The phone finally rang, and when you picked up, you began to cry tears of joy. You were sobbing inconsolably, and when you tried to leave this town you were told no. You were 'in no condition' to leave, but you did it anyway. Just as you were getting ready to leave…

"Wake up." Your aunt's voice sharply startled you.

"I'm up, I'm up!" You sprung from your seat with curious wide eyes.

No telling what that dream meant, but maybe that was foreshadowing your life to come. That's what you'd take it as anyway.

Now in your woken state, you were at... the beach? It was gorgeous, and not at all how you remembered it. The water was gleaming with clear blue. You could almost reach your hand in and just snatch the fish that inhabited these waters.

"Come." The woman wasted no time and headed toward the long bridge leading to a small resort.

You rushed to pick up your bag from the back of the car. "W-we're just going to stay parked here? Won't we get towed?"

The woman paused; probably to keep herself from laughing at your comment. "My one regret with you is that I kept you from the outside world. Take note of the places we visit, I'm sure you'll come across them again."

You nodded without question. If you did see more of the world you probably would never have run into Noctis and the others. Tensions were high right now, but you wouldn't trade that friendship for anything.

"Welcome to Galdin Quay!"

You flinched as one of the employees greeted you two. He was friendly and so clearly out in the open, but it still scared you for some reason.

You could see the back pier even from the front. Still the two of you continued to walk down to the dock anyway. Your aunt turned to you.

"The ferry isn't here. Why don't you rest up in the meantime? Go grab something to eat."

"Yo, you ladies trying to catch the ferry?" You heard an obnoxious voice speak to you.

The person continued, "The name's Dino. I can get you on if that's what you need."

Shaking her head, the woman beside you rolled her eyes, "We very well have everything we need." She'd turn back to you. "Now go. Shouldn't be here for a while."

Who were you to deny this mini vacation? She didn't need to tell you again. You walked back through the restaurant and took a seat at one of the barstools.

"Welcome to The Mother of Pearl. What can I start you off with?" The woman behind the grill smiled as she passed you a menu.

Your stomach growled just from the sight of it. "Thank you."

Ughhh, it looked so good. All of it was calling your name, but you didn't exactly want to stuff yourself before a boat ride.

"I'll have the Galdin Gratin please." You handed the menu back with a warm smile that she'd not be able to see considering your face was wrapped.

"No problem. That'll be 4500."

Damn that was really steep, but who knew if and when you'd eat here again? You handed the woman your card as you looked out at the ocean. This place was far, but still close enough to home that you wondered why you never came before.

This was the life. White sand between your toes, the clear ocean, gorgeous view, and delicious food. Why weren't you staying here again?

"Your food will be done in about 25 minutes." The woman frowned at your card, "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what this is."

There was a dumbfounded look on your face. Yes you did a lot of spending, but that card had plenty of money on it. There's no way it didn't go through.

"Huh?" You cocked your head to the side.

She handed you the card back, "My apologies ma'am but we can only accept gil."

"Gil?" Oh now you were really confused. "What's a-"

"Here's 5000. Keep the change." Your aunt reached past you and handed the woman her money.

She sat next to you and spoke in a low tone. "They take what is called gil here. Your card is practically useless. It's my fault for not telling you this earlier. Don't pull it out again."

You nodded without a word. Strange, this gil. Or maybe your money was strange and this was just the currency that the rest of the world used.

"Pardon me." You smiled at the woman preparing your meal, "I just want to take a quick stroll on the beach. I'll be back in 25. That's when it'll be done right?"

The woman took out her spices from the lower cabinets. "Oh, feel free, and yes it'll be done in about 25 minutes."

Damn the sun was powerful today. Well, as powerful as a sun at the end of winter could be anyway.

"This place must be beautiful in the summer." You partly daydreamed as you walked through the parking lot and back into the white sand on the other side.

There was a small fishing pier, and you couldn't help but think of Noctis looking at it. You knew he'd like it here. Every little thing reminded you of the boys.

The pier was Noctis, the smell of delicious food was Ignis, the hills were Gladio, and the beauty of it all; that was Prompto.

Not too far off there was a flat rock resting near the mountain. Seemed like you'd get a nice relaxing view from there.

Lucky for you the winter's breeze was still coming through. The sun was so unforgiving on this short lived walk, especially with these hot clothes on.

Wasn't that hard of a push, and before you knew it you were sitting on the edge of the slab with both legs dangling down. To your right you could see a group of wild crabs that you did not want to mess with.

Even if you could take them all on, the wrath of your aunt was something you'd rather avoid. She would talk your head of for 'putting yourself in danger again.'

Your focal point remained forward as your hand ran against the semi smooth surface of the rock. Vandalism was not your thing, but who would it hurt if you just wrote your name?

You took off your backpack and set it to the side. Out you took a pen and wrote in small letters. 'The Great Anak shall return.'

"So lame." You laughed at yourself.

Off in the distance you could see a boat heading to the dock. Most likely that was your boat. It was about 5 minutes away, and if you headed back to Galdin Quay now you'd have just enough time to take your meal to go.

Whelp, that was the game plan. You threw your backpack over your shoulder once again and continued on back to the restaurant.

"Excuse me." You practically panted as you leaned against the bar. "Do you mind wrapping that up to go? I have to catch the ferry."

"No problem." She took out a small box and placed your steaming food inside.

You couldn't wait to delve in, but for now you continued down until you reached a pier on the other side. Seemed like you arrived just in time as the ferry was getting ready to sail back to Altissia. That was quick.

If you missed this one you'd be shit outta luck for a couple more hours. Happily that scenario was avoided as you met back up with your aunt.

"You ladies have an entry permit correct?" The captain asked.

"Of course." Your aunt nodded.

"Alright then, have a seat and we'll be there in no time."

The trip to Altissia wouldn't be a long one. Couple hours maybe? You took this time to look back at your home... well, the place near your home anyway.

It was tempting to jump off this ferry and swim back to shore. Take the car and drive back to Insomnia. You couldn't though. Besides, it wouldn't make you feel good to do so anyway.

You got cozy inside and found yourself gazing outward at the ocean. Goodness you felt like an outsider. This land was so foreign.

"You might want to eat that before it gets cold." The woman pointed at your food.

Once again you looked at the food and it didn't seem as appetizing as it did before. You only ate it to go with the motions. It was delicious, but something about leaving the place connected to you home ceased your appetite.

"Go ahead, ask." Your aunt sat next to you. "I know you have questions."

"I thought you wanted me to keep my mouth shut, and thought you said you weren't repeating yourself."

"Don't get smart with me girl." She snapped. "I won't play this game. Ask or don't."

Now was the perfect time. There were only 3 other guests on this ferry; all of which were in the back hamming it up.

You remained facing the ocean as you spoke. "You were going to take me to wherever we're going whether my shoulder got messed up or not, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was." She nodded. "Anything else?"

"Why?" You nearly cut off her words.

"Like I said, you need to see more of this world. That was my fault for shielding you."

It was weird to hear her own up to her mistakes. It was something she never really did. You'd brush it off however. Would be a long way to Altissia, and you decided to get comfortable.

Opening your backpack again, you took out a pen and paper. You wrote a letter addressed to no one, but in your heart of hearts, you knew whom it was for. You wished he was here. You wished he wasn't angry with you. You wished you could feel his arms around you once more.

At this point you were burning a hole into your paper from how ferociously you wrote. Damn, he was something special, Gladiolus Amicitia. You were so mad at him, but still in love. That love you'd have to put aside however. This letter was no love letter, but an apology. Maybe when you returned you'd give it to him.

How you fell so fast, but every second of it was worth while. Even when you rest you could still smell his very essence with you. Damn, this was sounding obsessive. Maybe you wouldn't write that part, but shit, a feeling's a feeling.

"Look." Your aunt pointed out the window.

You glanced out for a moment and back at your paper. Doing a double take, you stopped and looked out at the city on water, Altissia coming into view. It was gorgeous. Why would anyone ever leave here?

Keeping your eyes open, you watched as the sun illuminated the rushing water surrounding the town. You drove down a narrow one way path that lead to the gate. It was more beautiful than any sunset you ever saw.

There was no way you'd stay inside for this. You saw your way out and squinted your eyes as they adjusted to the sun. Gorgeous. Firsthand, gorgeous.

"You never sent me a postcard. Why?" You asked in a low tone.

"You never asked." She replied as she took out the entry permit.

The boat stopped beside an Altissian Guard. "Do you all have an entry permit?"

One by one you showed him the permit. You didn't have one, but it seemed that your aunt's counted for the both of you. Good thing too. You didn't want any problems at the gate.

"Alright, you may pass." The guard gestured ahead.

You were like a dog looking out the window of a moving car for the very first time. Your eyes couldn't steady on one thing. It was all so amazing. The pillars, the arches, the waterfalls. This was Altissia. This was nirvana.

"I don't think I ever want to leave." You smiled in shock and awe.

"This isn't some vacation. That much was made clear from the start. Perhaps after your 60 days of home school are up you can figure out if you would like to go back or not."

Home school? Right, she was speaking in code. Didn't want the locals to think you were freaks or anything. Who were you kidding? As beautiful as Altissia was, it would mean nothing if your friends weren't around to see it too. You hoped that someday you could all come here. That was merely a pipe dream though.

The boat finally docked, and you felt so far from home. Was this what she meant by home? This was of course her home, but she made it seem like she was talking about yours.

This place was lively and wild. You could tell the night life really lit up here. Must have been fun. Too bad you'd be taking no part in that.

"Come, we're taking the gondola up north."

You followed closely behind while still taking in all of the sights. This place was really romantic. Thoughts like that could make you homesick easily. Better stray away from them.

"Gondola!" The man inside the gondola practically sang out as the two of you came close.

You both stepped on, and up north you went. Again your mind wondered, was this the place she was talking about on the ride here?

"Another question?" She asked tilting her head a bit.

"Altissia… this wasn't the place you spoke of, is it?" You gazed back at her.

"No. However we will reach that destination in due time. Weather conditions have changed my mind for right now."

You looked up at the relatively clear sky, "Weather conditions? You don't want it to be sunny?"

"When you live here long enough, you come to realize that clouds don't just pass through. They generally turn into something. Traveling in that would be unwise." She pointed up at the grey clouds in the distance.

It seemed so far away, but guess you again had to trust her on this one. For now you'd savor your last moments as a free woman. She was getting ready to make your life a living hell and you knew it. This was not going to be fun by any means.

.

 **Northern Altissia : 4:47pm : 117**

"For 58 days you will train here. You will eat here, and you will sleep here. Understood?"

You stood in a place similar to the once you used to train in back home. The only difference was that this was more refined. There were specific weapons on the wall. Most of which you were already familiar with.

She was really serious about this training stuff, but you were ready for her worst. The only thing that sucked was the fact that you wouldn't be able to go out and explore the city when you wanted to. It looked so tempting and fun.

Knowing her there would be no down time, but if there was, you were going to see everything!

"Um, 58 days ma'am?" That was strange, you thought. Weren't you here for 60 days?

"You heard correctly. Now choose your weapon and we'll begin." She gestured to the wall.

You approached the wall of arms and grabbed the compound bow. It was slightly different from the one you used at home, but nothing monumental.

"You don't use arrows anymore?" She noticed you hadn't grabbed any.

"Oh, right." You grabbed the quiver of steel arrows.

"Ah ah ah." Just as you were walking back to your mark again, she stopped you. "Don't you use the grapple gun as well?"

You nodded, "Yes, but never at the same time."

Your hand reached out for the gun, and you couldn't understand her point. It was weird holding all three items at once. It felt like something was going to drop.

With your head held high and confident, you held the items quite awkwardly. What did she have up her sleeve?

The woman looked at your stance and positioning of the weapons, "We've got a long way to go…"

.

 **Insomnia-Apartment : 5:55pm : 103 days**

"I miss her… I mean, some days are easier than others, but it's just weird not having her around ya know?" Prompto sat on the couch beside Noctis.

He looked emptily at the television. Things were really different here with you gone. It was quieter, and less fun. Seemed as though the boys hadn't adapted quite yet.

The blond boy looked at the picture of you on his camera from when you went camping. You looked so happy; so genuinely happy. It was refreshing to see.

Considering how high tensions were, the conversation about you hadn't really been tossed around much. It was kind of best not to talk about it. But as with many things, it had to surface some time.

"Prompto." Noctis looked over at the boy, "Did she seem… mad when you talked to her? I mean before she left."

"No." He shook his head, "She seemed like herself, happy even. I doubt she's still upset anyway. She doesn't usually hold onto grudges."

The prince nodded, "Well, for whatever reason she didn't answer my phone call when she left."

"What?" The blond frowned, "That doesn't even make sense. What time did you call?"

"Like 6." He shrugged.

"That was right after me. She turned her phone off after we hung up."

How many missed calls and messages awaited you once you returned? Perhaps if you just kept your phone on a little longer you would have received the messages you thought you never got.

Since you'd been gone the boys hung out like usual, just a little less often. It was an absolute stretch to say you were the glue that kept this group together, but by no means could one say you brought nothing to the table. A part of them was missing, and it was only the beginning of what they'd have to face down the road.

"Well, we shouldn't sit here and mope all day." Prompto suggested. Of course, he was the one doing most of the moping and quickly took notice of that needing to end.

"Yeah, I agree." The prince nodded.

"Arcade?" The blond perked up.

"Sure." Noctis rose from the couch ready to press on.

"Not before you eat lunch." Ignis sternly stopped the boys.

Without you helping in the kitchen, lunch was a bit slower… not that you cooked with him every day, but some dishes he could really use your help with. Back to normal as they say.

"You seem the least bothered from her being gone. Why?" Prompto rose a suspicious eyebrow as he went to grab a plate of food.

Ignis had the most minute smirk on his face as he spoke again, "We spoke before she left."

"What?!" Noctis stopped in his tracks to look at the man, "You didn't tell me this. When? Before Prompto or something?"

The older man nodded, "Yes, the night before actually."

Yes, the night before you left, you passed out on the floor only to wake back up to a sweet text message of Ignis sending his best. His answers with the boys were so incredibly vague because he was saving face for you.

That night you called him and spoke to him until the wee hours of the morning. You sobbed about how you wished Gladio and Noctis weren't mad at you and if only things were different. Not his favorite thing in the world to do, but he knew it would make you feel better, so he allowed you to vent.

It was a part of the reason you felt so relaxed when you left. His words were calming, and he reassured you that everything would get better. It did good on the heart of you both.

"What did you say?" Both the young boys nosily replied.

A light chuckle escaped the man, "I told her good luck and that we all wish the best for her."

The prince shook his head disappointingly, "You're being ambiguous."

Prompto nudged his pouty friend, "They probably really talked about how they wanna dance together for 5 hours straight again. Ooh secret love! Does Gladio know you're trying to swoop in on his girl?"

Both boys laughed aloud, and it was nice even with it being at Ignis' expense. Having something to smile about was a lot better than having something to cry about. Laughter would be the one way they all got through losing you, that's for sure.

Try as he might, Ignis could not hide those blushing cheeks again. Was there anything between the two of you still? On your end that door was closed, but who knew what Ignis thought of you? He was not an easy read. Even if he did still feel something he wouldn't act. You were Gladio's, even if you weren't, and that was that.

The tall man shook his head, "So juvenile."

Though no one wanted to bring it up again, they all truly wondered what you were up to right now. If you were where you said you'd be, or if the last time they talked to you was truly it. One thing was unanimous; they all wished for your good health and fortune.

Noctis scooted around his food with his fork, "I'm an idiot."

"Yup!" Prompto nodded.

The raven haired boy playfully shoved his friend, "Shut up." He chuckled.

Having so much time to think about it, Noctis came to terms with the fact that he was wrong in the way he addressed you. Right in his feelings, but totally wrong to speak to you the way he did. You were battling a lot of demons that he didn't take into consideration.

If the shoe was on the other foot, who knows if he would have spoken up about it at all? What you were facing was a lot. Putting you under more stress was not his intent. Sadly it'd been eating him up ever since it happened.

Ignis offered his final words of wisdom, "You needn't worry Noct. She doesn't feel any ill will toward you."

"If anything, she probably feels like she's the one to blame for all of this." Prompto shrugged.

He wasn't exactly trying to make his friend feel better with that statement, but merely telling the truth. You did feel like you were to blame; for everything.

"I don't want that either." Noctis gave a huffy reply. He'd pause a moment before continuing. "Let's hurry up and finish so we can hit up the arcade."

Dwelling on this one subject was doing no one any good. It was no good to sweep things under the rug either, but the topic of you was best not to be brought up until you were back home again.

In the meantime, it was R and R for the boys. Video games, hanging out, and relaxing. They knew you most likely didn't, but hopefully you found some peace out wherever you were…

.

 **Northern Altissia : 6:20pm : 103 days**

"Dammit this is too much!" You yelled aloud.

Your hands were bloodied and torn down to what felt like the bone. Splatters of the red fluid were painted all across the walls and floor. Hell had nothing on this. It was only your second week, and you were already eager to throw in the towel.

"Don't waste your energy yelling. Go again." The woman calmly spoke to you.

This was like torture. You've been training for 3 days straight with the exception of a few breaks to eat and use the bathroom. Nothing had been brutal like this. Did she gain pleasure in seeing you hurt? If not, it really felt like it.

"I'm going to you sadistic son of a bitch!" Again you yelled.

Never did you swear at this woman or call her out of her name, but you were beyond the point of insanity. Out of your mind was more of the state. This was the ONLY time she'd accept your sharp tongue. Certainly a girl getting enough sleep and rest would never speak to her caregiver in such a manner.

Truthfully you'd feel guilty about it later, but right now you barely even knew what was going on. It was like being drunk, except you'd definitely remember, and none of this was even remotely fun.

Your arms lifted with the grapple gun in your hands. You pointed at the furthermost point across the gigantic emptied out facility and shot.

Holding on for dear life, the tether swiftly lead you over. Moving your hands to your pants, you hooked the gun on and pulled the bow and arrow off your back. Your body twisted back and you shot an arrow at the target the hung right behind where you just stood.

Turning back again toward the wall, you cushioned your impact using both arms and legs. The bearing was always hard. Your body was being slammed into an object after all.

Unhooking the gun, you held on and lowed yourself down. Your head turned as you heard a distant clap. Wait, a clap?

"It's about damn time." The woman continued to give you applause.

Your eyes squinted as you noticed the arrow was far from the bullseye. It still hit the target, but just one ring in. She was such a perfectionist. What was she clapping for? To mock you?

"I didn't get the bullseye." You panted.

The woman walked closer to your position. "You didn't need to hit it." She replied swiftly, "If you needed a quick getaway, this is a technique you'd use to stagger an opponent. You aren't aiming to kill here. You need to be precise when stagnant, but while in motion so long as you hit your target you will slow them down."

She stopped and nodded before you, "That is enough for tonight. Clean up and get your rest. We start again at dawn."

This was senselessness. Wasn't she at least dog tired from staying up this much? Then again, she already paid her dues as a mercenary. No telling what they had her up to in Niflheim.

You inched your way ever so slowly to the wall of weapons to put away the bow and grapple. Blood stained it, and it was a constant reminder of what your life would be like.

Maybe if things were different you would be back home in Insomnia. That thought often crossed your mind. If only you'd been a native from the very start… no one would be mad at you… no one would be anticipating your big leave… no one would be hurt…

Taking your place in the back corner of the establishment, you lay back on the cold ground with a blanket wrapped around yourself.

"Why didn't they..?" You whispered aloud to yourself.

You wondered why Gladiolus and Noctis never called you. Little did you know Noctis did call you, you just didn't receive it. Gladio on the other hand was a different story. Maybe he didn't, maybe he did. Knowing the type of person he was, he actually showed up to your house 2 hours late thinking he could catch you.

It was kind of funny to think about. Funny, and sad. No more paper to write, and no phone to call… You were just stuck here with your thoughts, holding on so they didn't slip away. Once you returned you'd have a mouthful to say.

If this was what your life was like now, then Niflheim would be a breeze.


	27. The Oracle

**Northern Altissia : 7:56am : 79 days**

Was that a Jackson Pollock painting spread across another canvas? No, it was just the place you trained. Your blood gave off a metallic smell in the room. It was sickening to a newcomer, but by this point you were immune.

You hung about 15 feet off the ground from your grapple. Swinging yourself back and forth, you waited until you got enough momentum to release. Pointing behind you, you shot the line and grimaced from the whiplash of a sudden direction change.

Before you reached, you turned once again and shot in the opposite direction. This was your chance to land it. Having had enough practice by this point, you were able to place your hands and legs in the proper position so that you'd not be harmed.

Looking down, you lowered yourself with the grapple, "How was that?" There was a confidence in your voice now.

Let nothing be overlooked, you were still exhausted, but you were also poised in what you were doing.

"Let me see your hands." Your aunt motioned you to walk toward her.

You lowered your weapon and lightly jogged in the direction of the woman. After all this training you felt fatigued but energized. Your eyes were wide open, yet the moment you got back to Insomnia you'd probably take a 48 hour nap.

Setting the bow across your chest, you showed the woman your shaky hands. They were torn, and the skin that tried to heal itself never regenerated. The wraps intertwined through each finger did nothing to help. If anything, they were merely there for aesthetics.

"Lay it on me. My dream job of being a hand model is long gone, so what next?" You looked at the woman.

"The point of this training was to bend you to your maximum capabilities, not break you. Get changed, we have a train to catch." She moved away from you and headed to the exit.

You stood confused, "I'm fine. I've got this, trust me."

Why in the world were you asking to continue? Maybe you really were out of your mind.

"Don't be a masochist. Put your clothes on, I don't want to be late."

You nodded and headed toward your clothes hanging on a line outside. Every time you stepped out here it was refreshing and cool.

As you stripped down, you wondered where you were going. It was the place she mentioned when you first got here, it had to be.

You looked up at the gloomy sky, "It's going to rain. Storm probably. Didn't you want to avoid this type of weather?"

The woman was posted with her back against the wall. She gave you about as much privacy as not looking at you, but even if she did it wouldn't matter. It was nothing she hadn't seen before.

"I don't care about the weather. Sometimes we must come to terms with the fact that things won't always go our way." She took a look at her watch, "Now come on. We have another ferry to catch and then a train."

Thought she said it was just a train. That wouldn't make sense though. Altissia was an island. What train could possibly leave from here?

You put your last article of clothes on. "Okay, I'm ready."

.

 **Train : 3:32pm : 79 days**

"Here." Your aunt handed you a pair of padded black gloves. "Cover them. You don't want to get an infection."

You grabbed the gloves and slipped them over your shaky hands. There was a pen and paper in your lap. It'd been weeks since you were able to write.

This train ride would be a long one, and it was the perfect time to write again. A letter addressed to no one.

You wrote about sitting on a train with a destination to nowhere. The only terminus seemed to be further away from home. No matter where you were there were always things that reminded you of him.

Be it the thin rays of sunshine peeking through the dark clouds, or the sparse flowers growing through the small cracks in between the railway. All of it reminded you of the warmth Prompto Argentum brought to your life.

You looked back out the window as the streaks of rain hit the train. You chuckled lightly at the fact that his name was tattooed on your butt. So stupid, but you still didn't regret it.

It always seemed like the tattoo would be problematic in a relationship, but you didn't have to worry about that anymore. You were sure Gladio wouldn't have you back when you returned. If he didn't reach out to say goodbye, he probably wanted nothing to do with you anymore.

You continued to jot down your thoughts on this train to nowhere. It seemed like hours passed, yet the scenery remained constant.

"Still nothing?" Your aunt pointed out the window once again. "Take a closer look."

Narrowing your eyes, you shook your head, "I-I don't know. You said it yourself, I never got a chance to travel the world. I've been in Insomnia my whole life."

Her eyes remained on you as you continued to look. The way the water looked, and the trees. They didn't seem so foreign for some reason. They were welcoming and beautiful. Not like anything you'd felt thus far after leaving Insomnia.

Your eyes widened, and a hand came to cover your mouth. "Oh… my…"

.

 **Insomnia-Amicitia Manor : 7:39pm : 77 days**

Today was like no other, no. Today was a day of celebration. The sky was clear, and weather was just nice enough to relax comfortably outside. What was today? Gladiolus Amicitia's birthday.

It was a time to let loose. Knock a couple back, catch up with old friends, and piss off the neighbors. From the momentum of this party, it was clear that everyone would be celebrating well into the night.

The house was packed. People young and old came to set the roof ablaze. The lights dimmed, and from the kitchen came two fiery girls holding the birthday cake. The girls stood on each side of the birthday boy, and the song began.

"Whoa, who are they." Prompto spoke out mid song.

"Thirsty much?" Noctis laughed.

"W-what? I'm just wondering!" He shifted his eyes left and right before continuing with the song again.

"Make a wish!" The girls held the cake up a bit higher for Gladio to blow out his candles.

As the fire ceased, the house roared. Everyone was excited for this 21st birthday bash. Good music, good food, and good company. What more could anyone wish for?

Things settled down a bit after the cake was distributed, and the guests once again spread out. In the backyard sat Noctis, Ignis, and Prompto. The three ate cake and watched an intense game of beer pong.

Gladio was making his rounds to thank his family and friends for coming. He would meet back up with the guys when he was done. Everyone else in the house may have been drunk off their ass, but not the bodyguard. Not only was he a working man, but he was a responsible drinker. Someone had to look out for his house.

Noctis chuckled, "So Prompto, are you just gonna stare at these girls all night or talk to one of them?"

"I-I wasn't staring!" He defensively stammered.

"Perhaps fawning is a more appropriate word?" Ignis slid in his two cents.

"Ignis!" The hysterical boy yelped. "I could talk to any of these girls, no problem."

"Alright, do it then. Take your pick." The prince sat back with crossed arms.

It was a good thing the backyard was so dim, otherwise it would have illuminated all of his insecurities. If one looked hard enough, they might see a bead of sweat break from his forehead.

"Here I go." The small blond made his way toward a girl he thought was particularly attractive.

Noctis gazed over at his friend, "20 says he comes back alone and empty handed."

Ignis adjusted his glasses, "Noctis, the point of gambling is that the person of interest believes in their odds enough to place a bet."

Ouch. Sometimes that man had an eloquent way of saying harsh things.

As Noctis watched his friend he heard a close bark. "Umbra?" He turned.

Indeed, it was the dog. He was here to deliver the notebook that Noctis and Lunafreya quite often wrote in.

It'd been a while since the two had spoken, and he was eager to see what she'd wrote. The prince gave the dog a pet.

"Hey there." Noctis turned his back toward the party to maintain just a bit of privacy.

As he took the notebook out, his attention immediately turned to a page being marked. It was cracked open by an item being placed in between.

The boy opened it to see what it was, and he found himself frozen. Every muscle immobilized as he looked at it. His breath soft, and it wasn't the breeze that gave him goosebumps.

"Ha! I got a number!" Prompto walked back over with a proud look of triumph on his face. "Well, technically it's her family's restaurant number, but... Noctis?"

From the way the prince was seated, he couldn't see Umbra standing before him. He only saw his friend stopped in time.

"Noct?" He walked closer only to notice the dog.

Ahh, now it was clear. Better leave him to write his love letter or what have you. Goodness he got so sensitive when people asked what he was doing.

Quietly Prompto took a seat and ate his cake once again. He'd spark up a conversation with Ignis; chatting about the party and so on.

"Guys." Noctis quietly called his friends.

They wasted no time coming to his side and seeing whatever it was he wanted.

As the two looked, they saw a red diamond necklace cupped in his hand. It was chilling. What the hell was that doing lined in the notebook?

Ignis leaned in a bit closer, "Could it b-"

"It is." The prince nodded "It's hers."

Prompto's eyes remained on the jewelry, "Did Luna say anything about meeting her?"

"No." Noct shook his head.

There was no mentioning of you in the book, but this was definitely your necklace, Noctis was sure. After all, he was the one that gave it to you.

He didn't know if he should be happy that you were safe or worried to no end. He was leaning toward worry because this was a piece of jewelry you never took off.

Swimming, showering, or other, you always kept that necklace on. Why was this here? He wished for some kind of context.

"Ughh, finally get to rest." Here he was, the man of the hour pulling up a chair.

After making his rounds, all he wanted to do was get off his feet, relax, and talk to his friends.

The boys anxiously spread out again. The last thing they wanted to do was ruin his birthday by worrying him over your rogue necklace.

"What are you guys doing?" Gladio curiously asked.

"Noct… was… just showing us some of his cheaty tactics in King's Knight." Prompto quickly came up with an excuse.

"You guys wanna play?" The birthday boy suggested.

The prince was in no mood to play, but he had to go along. He turned his seat back, "Sure, let's do it."

The quartet pulled out their phones and started up the game. His mind was not focused. None of theirs were except Gladio.

Where were you, and why was Noctis now the wielder of your most prized possession?

.

 **Tenebrae : 5:24pm : 79 days**

You inhaled the air as you stepped off the train. It was crisp and clean just as you remembered. You were just a girl when you last came here, but now you return as a woman. A woman that was ready to fight for this beloved land whenever that time came.

The sun was still fairly high, but on its way down. Most of it was covered by the gloom. It only drizzled now, but being out here for too long would soak your clothes in due time. Considering the time, you wondered if you were late to whatever it is you were supposed to be doing.

"This is just a pit stop on the way to our true destination. Be on your toes."

You nodded and followed her lead. She headed down a flight of stairs and across a bridge that would make even the bravest man buckle. No rails? Guess no one here ever tripped before.

As you continued on, you came to a grassy area. It felt nice to see and feel grass after all that time training. Your attention quickly turned to the large castle off in the distance. Or maybe it was a home. That was a castle right?

Closer to where you were was a thinned out crowd of people giving thanks and getting ready to leave soon. You wondered what was happening here. Your questions were quickly answered as the sight of golden locks filled your eyes.

It was happening again… Damn, star struck. There she was, Lady Lunafreya. Healing the hurt, and giving her best to those in need. Your eyes remained on the woman, and although everyone stared at her as well, certainly she could feel the heaviness of your gaze.

This was the Oracle; legendary. This was the woman who could communicate with the astrals. This… was Noctis' friend. Okay, on the list of great things she's done, being Noct's friend would not be on there, but that's all you could think about.

There was no way you could bring that up. Tenebrae was a place that was taken over by the empire. You absolutely had to hold your tongue when it came to talking about Insomnia, and especially the prince. Still, you only wished that you could.

"Thank you so much my lady." An elderly woman rose from her seat and was on her way.

"Of course. I wish you good fortune, and I am happy to have eased a bit of your suffering." Luna nodded to the woman with clasped hands.

That was all for tonight. Even the Oracle had to get her rest. What was left of the crowd finally walked away, and it was only you three. She looked so exhausted, Luna. It was clear that she was a tired woman, but one who would bear no burden of being the Oracle on anyone else's shoulders than her own.

"Excuse me my lady." Your aunt started. "Do you have time for one last person?"

The young woman was a bit startled by your presences. She thought that everyone had left, but there you two stood.

"My niece, her hands aren't exactly functional. Anything would be helpful. Even just a word." She bowed to the Oracle.

"Of course. Please have a seat." Luna gestured to the stool that so many before you had sat.

You obliged no doubt. You took a seat, and your heart raced a million miles a second. Did she know who she was? This was more intimidating than talking to the king. Why?

Slowly you pulled the gloves off your hands, and showed her the damage that had been done. Years of wear and tear covered by weeks of intense training. Although you were numb to the pain, it was ever so clear that they were in bad shape.

She knelt down to your level and took your hands into her own. It was as if to say without words that she was the same as you. She was no greater than you because of her title. In her eyes, she was equal with everyone.

"I will do all I can to restore your hands." She reassured you. "Blessed stars of life and light…"

Your eyes watered as she healed you. "I'm sorry." You shook your head.

Crying over the Oracle healing you was not the kind of first impression, last impression, or any impression you wanted to give. It was overwhelming, this feeling. It made you so emotional for whatever reason.

Her eyes looked into yours as the light between the both of your hands faded. "Relief will come to you in a few short days. Rest your hands and your body. Please do take care."

She set your hands down, but continued her eye contact with you. You didn't know what to do. Keep looking back or look away? If the Oracle makes eye contact with you, you keep it right? Yes?

"Pardon me, but, we have crossed paths before have we not?"

"No." You shook your head. "This is my first time back in Tenebrae in over 10 years. I'm from-" You paused before continuing.

Looking over at your aunt, you gave an expression as to ask her if it was okay to continue. Truly you weren't back home, and being loose with your words could prove dangerous; even to the Oracle.

The fear wasn't that she'd bring harm your way, but the land she inhabited was not safe, and many ears could be listening. The woman gave you a nod to continue, and that you did.

You looked back at the woman, "Insomnia." You hesitated before continuing, "You probably won't believe me, but we share a common friend."

"Noctis." She breathily whispered.

There was a ghastly silence. Of course she could hear your heart beat now. How couldn't she? It was ever so clear in your ears.

"You don't happen to own a red diamond necklace by chance, do you?" Her volume lowered as well as her tone. It was soft, almost inaudible.

Taking a chance, you took the end of the wrap that shrouded your face and uncovered it. Little by little the material you once wore was peeled away until your bare face was shown to her.

There it was, your red diamond necklace gleaming ever so brightly in the fading sun. You felt exposed, weak, and vulnerable, but on the other hand you felt empowered.

"Your eyes." Luna knelt once again to take a look at you, "He said I'd know you from your eyes. They are very telling."

You shielded your head as you heard an aircraft fly right above you. The horrifying red and white lights on the side struck serious fear into your heart. It was most likely headed toward Niflheim; a place you'd be in only a matter of weeks.

"Is there a place we can speak in private?" You asked slightly panicked.

You were surprised by how calm and fair your aunt was about this. Maybe it was because you were speaking to the Oracle and she trusted her. Even still, being here was a huge risk, and speaking so freely without your face covered was just asking for trouble.

"Yes, absolutely. Please, come inside." She looked back at her home in the distance.

Was this really happening? You were really in Tenebrae getting ready to speak to the Oracle about life back in Insomnia? Things taking a turn didn't even scratch the surface.

"I'm sorry." Your aunt remained in place, "But for the safety of my niece as well as myself, I feel more comfortable staying behind; here. I hope you understand my lady."

Luna nodded. Of course she understood, well not fully, but you were getting ready to catch her up to speed just in case.

It was cold, and the rain began to pick up once again. She didn't care though. She dealt with much worse than a little rain.

If anyone from the imperial army were to drop by unannounced, you two would be in a lot of trouble. Having someone on the lookout seemed to be the best idea.

"When you get inside, turn your phone back on. I need to communicate with you if anything changes out here, okay?"

Okay, now this was weird. Why was she so for you talking to Luna? Maybe she wanted you to have an ally on the outside; one that you could rely on. Idle chit chat was never anything she made time for, so she must have known that your meeting would amount to something bigger.

"Understood." You continued to follow the Oracle.

How long did you have, you wondered? If she was getting too antsy outside, she'd surely let you know. Time was not a luxury, but you'd treat it as one. There was a lot you wanted to tell Luna; not just about Noctis, but about Insomnia, and the journey you were facing.

.

 **Insomnia-Amicitia Manor : 10:21pm : 77 days**

The party continued with no sign of burning out. Food was still being eaten, drinks were being poured, and the music was still loud.

"Well, I gotta use the bathroom." Noctis stood up from his chair.

"I'm quite parched. I think I'll grab another glass of water." Ignis followed.

Prompto stood up as well and gave a pat on Gladio's shoulder, "Sorry big guy. Nature calls. Mind if I use the guest bathroom?"

"No, go for it." Gladio waved him off.

He wasn't just going to sit here and be alone at his own party while his friends took care of business. No, instead he got up to converse once again.

Noctis made his way upstairs to the guest bedroom and shut the door behind him. With him was both Ignis and Prompto.

The prince took the necklace out of his pocket and lay it on the bed. The three stood there looking at the jewelry, and wondering why it was here.

"What's the story behind this thing anyway?" Prompto looked at the jewel.

"Back when we first met she didn't have friends. A lot of people would pick on her. I gave her this necklace as a reminder that she'll always have me as a friend. Ever since that day 5 and a half years ago, she never took it off."

"Why did people pick on her?" Prompto worriedly asked. "She's always been a kind person. That just doesn't make sense."

"Didn't make sense back then either." The black haired boy shrugged. "Probably because she was an easy target; foreign. She was a lot more soft spoken back then."

The blond boy rubbed his chin, "Or maybe because she had nice things?"

Ignis nodded, "People who bully often envy their victims for a number of reasons. Material things, beauty, attention. The real question is why the necklace has returned without a purpose, and what this means. Noct, did you ask Lady Lunafreya why she sent it?"

The prince was kicking himself now. Why didn't he think to do that?

"No." He shook his head, "I didn't."

They all stood above the necklace searching for a conclusion in their minds, and preferably one that meant you were okay. It just didn't make sense. Why did Luna send your necklace using she and Noctis' private notebook?

"There's some rust on the chain." Prompto pointed out.

"That's not possible." Noct shook his head, "That necklace can't get rusty."

"Not rust." Ignis looked closer, "Blood, dried blood."

"What the hell?!" Noctis let out a frustrating grunt as he took a seat on the bed.

All the signs pointed to you being in trouble. What kind of trouble though? Did you get hurt on the road?

"What if she went to Tenebrae and ran into the imperial army?" Prompto practically bit his nails at the thought. "Maybe she had to follow through with her plans sooner than she thought. This necklace represented eternal friendship, right? Maybe by her sending it back she's saying goodbye."

Damn, that theory was heavy, and probably the worst case scenario. They all but wanted to believe that to be true. A hard pill to swallow, it was.

Noctis shook his head in disbelief, "Well, I think-"

He stopped shortly as he heard the door opening. He snatched the necklace back and scraped his nails against the blanket as he did. The boy stuffed it in his pocket like nothing suspicious at all.

"What are you guys doing in here?" Gladio entered the room confused by his friends' antisocial behavior.

"Prompto lost his phone. We've been looking for it, and we can't find the damn thing." Noctis sighed fictitiously annoyed.

Gladio pulled out his phone, "Did you try calling it?"

Before the guys could answer, the phone was already dialing. Sure enough the ring sounded from Prompto's back pocket.

It was awkwardly silent.

"Oh..." The blond boy pulled the phone from his back pocket. "...my, I'm an idiot!"

"You said your phone was on silent." Noctis hastily replied.

All of this was so suspicious, especially since Ignis was supposedly helping look. As smart as he was, he should have thought to call ages ago.

"I'm gonna get some more cake." Prompto gleefully exited.

"Same." Noctis followed.

"I suppose I'll go back outside, it's rather warm in here." Ignis left the room as well.

"Yeah, okay." Gladio rose an eyebrow.

They had to be careful with this necklace thing. It was starting to seem like they were avoiding Gladio. At least they got some theories going. None of which they wanted to conclude on, but it was a start.

Where in the world were you?

.

 **House Fleuret : 6:20pm : 79 days**

On the way inside, the two of you chopped it up and talked about your connection to Noctis. Clearly it was a sore but special topic for both of you.

You walked inside of the dining room. It was grand, awe-inspiring even. You looked up and around, wow, this place was stunning. You wouldn't mind being under the imperial rule if it meant staying here... well, yes you would, but the point was that this place was amazing.

You took a seat at the table, and as you pulled the seat out, it sounded throughout the room. It was quiet in here. If it weren't for the people who came to visit as well as Noctis' messages, a girl could get really lonely.

An older woman walked into the room behind Luna. You flinched and hid your face just out of instinct. Ugh, so embarrassing!

"It's okay." Luna walked quickly to your side and placed her hand over yours. "You're safe here. I won't allow any harm to come to you."

The older woman smiled at you, "You needn't worry miss. Would you like some tea?"

You exhaled deeply, "That would be great, thank you."

Yes, maybe some fermented herbs would ease your soul right now. You needed something because damn you were jumpy.

Luna sat beside you and gave a warm smile, "Tell me why you've come."

You sighed, "I didn't know I was coming here. Meeting you was never a part of the plans, or so I thought."

You looked down at your hands, and the knuckles that were bruised and broken seemed to be healing and shifting back into place. She was astonishing.

"I'm not going to lie to you, being in your presence is pretty surreal." You smiled, "I don't know you, but I feel like I do. Just the things that Noctis has told me... I don't know, you seem so familiar."

The blond woman nodded, "I feel the same way. When I saw your eyes I knew you must have been the one Noctis mentioned. You two are very close."

You nodded wanting to tell her about the status of your relationship, but you didn't want to say anything negative. He may have been upset with you, but he was still your best friend and you wouldn't badmouth him.

You untucked the necklace from your shirt and showed her once again. "He gave this to me 5 and a half years ago. I haven't taken it off ever since."

Your hands reached to hold the jewel in your hand. Still you felt attached. Unwilling to take it off.

"It's gorgeous." Luna ghosted her hand across the chain.

"Lunafreya." You continued to stare at the necklace, "I leave for Niflheim in just a couple short months. I'm running a risk being out here, and this necklace is a reminder of the many things I may never be able to see again.."

You didn't know why you felt so candid with her. Technically you didn't even know her, but you remembered what Clarus said about trusting your instinct. You couldn't go wrong if you followed it.

That made your choice clear. You had to tell her. The more you got it off your chest, the better you felt about the whole situation anyway. The way she listened to you made you feel important.

She never interrupted you, and she nodded as if every word had a key purpose. That was comforting and warm. Of all the people you told, she seemed to be the one who judged you the least.

The tea and biscuits were brought out as you told your story. Goodness you needed it. The warmth of the tea really put your nerves at ease.

You just left out the fact that you met with the king and gained some of his magic. It wasn't that you didn't want to tell her, but more so that it wasn't important.

"Your destiny is not unlike my own. To ease those from pain and suffering. To protect. I believe that you will do good onto this world, and your fearlessness will take you so very far." Her eye contact remained constant.

"Thank you Luna, but I think our two journeys are incomparable. You have a much larger cross to bear. I'm just preparing people for the inevitable and dismantling as much as I can in that allotted time." Your head lowered.

It wasn't that you didn't believe in your work, but you were calling a spade a spade.

"I very well may never come back. Noctis and my friends mean so much to me. They don't understand how it eats me alive every day. You're the only one who could even begin to understand that. It's been 10 years since you saw him last. I don't know how you did it."

"Please, let me show you something." Luna stood up from the table and gestured for you to follow.

She spoke to you as she led you away. "You know of course how Noctis and I communicate? Through the notebook."

Luna opened the door to her room and there were two dogs lying on the rug; Umbra and Pryna. You hadn't met Pryna, but Umbra you knew very well.

The dark dog pranced over to you and you gave him many pets. It kind of made you miss your own dog. The homesickness was slowly setting in.

"Here." Luna handed you the notebook.

It wasn't for you to look inside, but to see the wear and tear that ages of opening and closing the book had done. Remaining faithful, you'd let their notes persist in privacy by keeping it shut.

"Passing along notes is nowhere near the real thing, but it helps." She looked down in melancholy as she reminisced. "I just wish we could laugh the same way we used to."

You placed a warm hand on her shoulder, "You will. I know you will. Both of us will."

You wrapped your arms around Umbra, and Pryna followed suit. She was probably feeling left out, so you gave her ample pets. The two of you continued to chat, but about much less pressing issues. Just life and such.

She was a good conversationalist. It was really weird; a few hours ago you never expected to be sharing a smile and laugh with Oracle herself.

"Should you happen to find your way out of Niflheim and you need to seek refuge, you are always welcomed here." Luna gave a soft touch on your shoulder.

"Thank you. I will remember that if the opportunity presents itself."

That may come in handy if you were to somehow slip away later. Ahh, now the wires in your brain were connecting. That's why your aunt wanted you to meet Lunafreya. She really did want you to have a close ally on the outside.

Speaking of which, it was getting late, and you knew your aunt was probably dying to leave by now.

"Oh shit. Uh sorry." You pulled out your phone, "I forgot to turn this on."

You held the power button on your phone to turn it on. As you waited for it to start up, you wrapped up your face once again.

"Luna, it has been an honor, really. I hope to see you sometime again in the future. The very near future."

The two of you embraced, and as you did you saw bright lights shine outside the window. You felt the phone in your hand vibrate and it was your aunt calling you. Fourteen consecutive missed calls.

"Hello?" You answered desperately.

"Get out of there now!" Her voice was more frazzled and shaky than you ever heard it before. "Dammit, what were you doing?! Hurry up, there's no time!"

"Okay, I'm leaving now!" You hung up the phone and backed away from Luna, "I have to go! Sorry. I'm so sorry. I need to leave."

You ran to her room door and swung it open. Before you could take a single step you saw a tall man blocking your path. He was intimidating; had at least foot on you.

Your eyes looked into his, switching between his blue and purple iris'. He could see the fear in your eyes, and you could see your own downfall in his. You were not supposed to be here. You felt like a child in trouble, and the person whom would punish you was none other than Ravus Nox Fleuret.

You stood still waiting for the man before you to say something. Clearly he wasn't expecting you as much as you were him.

It was strange; you didn't know why, but your instinct told you to back away. As your feet carried you backward, his came forward. The both of you were still locked in dead eye contact.

It was clear who he was. You could tell by his features. Tall, broad, mysterious... all the qualities of a man you should stay very far away from.

His gaze only broke away when he saw Lunafreya in his peripheral vision. You took that moment to look downward and walk past the man. He'd turn to look at you as you walked away. Who were you? Clearly a stranger, but no threat since Luna wasn't making a fuss, nor did you seem like the conspiring type. Little did he know.

You'd catch his gaze one last time before leaving. Why didn't he speak to you? Maybe he thought you were just another visitor that came for healing.

The reason you remained quiet was for voice recognition purposes. It was all so strange. You just prayed that you didn't leave anything incriminating behind.


	28. Welcome To the Jungle

**House Fleuret : 10:45pm : 79 days**

You began your descent out of the home, and on the way you could hear imperial soldiers entering. Shit, the front door was no longer a way out, so back up you went.

How could you leave without being caught? You didn't have your grapple, so jumping from a window was no option at all. How bad were these soldiers anyway? Certainly they wouldn't just cut someone down that they thought was innocent. Or maybe they would, but you didn't want to get caught and find out. Seemed like your best option was to wait it out.

Frantically you searched for a room to enter. Not just any room, but something out of the way. A room that they'd have no need to enter. Like a bathroom or something. MT's didn't have to pee right?

You ran into the nearest room and shut the door. Pulling out your phone, you dialed up your aunt again. You'd have to not only make this quick, but be quiet as well.

"Where are you?" The woman picked up with worry in her voice.

"I'm still inside. There are soldiers coming up the stairs. What if they find me in here? I have nothing." Your voice shook.

"You are much stronger than you're giving yourself credit for." You could just feel her teeth gritting through the phone. "If all else fails, use it. I'll be waiting for you about a mile east of House Fleuret. You'll have to cross a few more bridges. Look for the waterfall."

A mile east? Damn these floating islands. Did she really just bail on you like that? Plus a waterfall was a rather vague description. Waterfalls in Tenebrae were equivalent to buildings in Insomnia. They were everywhere. Guess you had to play the role of both the damsel in distress as well as knight in shining armor.

No need to rock the boat for now. So long as no one was coming in you had no reason to leave. Maybe you could wait it out.

You pressed the home button on your phone and noticed a missed notification. It was a voicemail. When did you receive this?

Clicking your voicemail, you saw that the message was from Noctis. It was dated back to right before you left; down to the minute. You just barely missed it. You pressed play and put the phone to your ear.

"Hey squirt... I'm, I'm sorry. I don't want you to leave Insomnia thinking that I'm upset with you, because I'm not. I guess I didn't take into consideration what you may have been going through. Anyway, let's go to the beach when you get back. Screw waiting for summer. Let's make those last weeks the best time of our lives. Hope you get a chance to hear this... and I hope you aren't too angry still. Be safe. See you in no time."

You lowered the phone, and there was guilt weighing down your heart. You felt so bad that you didn't answer his call. It wasn't like you knew he'd call, it's just, you wished he knew you felt nothing but love and forgiveness for him. Your only hope was that Ignis could set his heart at ease.

A breath of relief exited your lungs, but it was all for not. The door busted open, and before you stood 3 armed soldiers ready to subdue you.

You put the phone back inside your pocket and held your hands up as if to comply. One by one they entered the room. So these were the MT's your aunt told you about, huh? It was jarring how soulless they appeared. It was almost as if they were never human to begin with. More like never had the chance to be.

So this is what you were to become? Another mindless magitek trooper ready to slaughter for a cause you'd never know. The thought made you sick. Maybe by killing them you could release them from this life. Relieve them of the burden that is being a mindless soldier.

Your eyes raced from MT to MT. Like a cornered animal, your mind was running at full speed. What would you do? Fight or flight?

.

 **Insomnia-Apartment : 12:38am : 76 days**

The party was over, but the boys kept the momentum going. They couldn't for the life of them figure out why your prized possession was here, but you were nowhere to be found.

They sat in the living room, and your necklace was on the oak coffee table before them.

"Okay, so what all do we know?" Prompto asked.

"We know that she never takes this off, it's stained with blood, and some way she went to Tenebrae most likely running into Luna." Noctis sat back and sighed with a hand over his face, "This information is getting us nowhere fast. We don't know anything else."

"We know that the necklace is broken." Ignis pointed at the clasp, "Too early to assume that there were signs of a struggle however. Any number of things could have happened."

Both Prompto and Noctis closed in on the necklace. It didn't look broken. They didn't even notice it until Ignis pointed it out. The barrel clasp had been snapped off on one side.

It was ignorant to assume that you struggled, but considering the blood as well, all signs were pointing toward it.

"One thing concerns me." Ignis continued, "If the necklace is here and in this condition, why didn't Lady Lunafreya mention anything about it? Perhaps we could be looking too deep into the situation."

That was always another theory. Maybe nothing happened, and this was just some strange coincidence. They knew that you went off to train, so the chances of blood marking the necklace was very probable. That could explain why it broke as well. It could have gotten caught on something.

The only X variable in this situation was Lunafreya. Why did she send it back? When and how did the two of you meet?

"Maybe we are looking too deep." Prompto slumped over with his hands holding up his face. "Think about it. She could have broken her necklace while training."

"True, and it isn't impossible to get to Tenebrae. Especially for her." Noctis nodded at the suggestion. "A lot of people travel to see Luna for healing. And it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that she brought up their connection to Lucis; gaining Luna's trust."

Ignis adjusted his glasses as he continued theorizing about the necklace. "And if it truly is her prized possession, she wouldn't leave without it. So perhaps it could have slipped away from her unknowingly, and Lady Lunafreya sent it back because she knew you'd be able to return it to her Noct."

Of all the theories that had been tossed around, this seemed to be the favorite. This was the one they were most willing to believe. Not only because it meant that nothing went horribly wrong, but it seemed to be the most feasible.

"...well, I feel like an idiot." Prompto sighed. "Guess we got all worked up there for nothing, huh?"

"Really does take a weight off. Though I feel kind of bad that we spent that whole party worrying over it." Noctis stood up and grabbed the necklace.

He'd keep it here. Luna wanted him to return it to you when you got back, so that's what he'd do. Goodness, this was like a murder mystery case, and everyone was so glad it was over. They gained comfort in knowing that this whole thing was most likely a strange mix up.

"Think I'm going to get some shut eye." The small blond stretched his arms upwards and gurgled an unpleasant sound from his throat. "Whelp, see you guys tomorrow."

"I believe I should do the same. It's been late enough." Ignis followed behind Prompto to the door.

"Night." Noctis waved off the two.

As they left he made for his room and took a seat on his bed. He took the necklace out of his pocket and placed it beside the lamp on his nightstand. A long sigh expelled from the boy's lungs. He was relieved; not just for your sake, but Luna's as well.

He couldn't wait for you to come back and explain this one. The prince chuckled to himself. It would be hilarious once you heard all the theories they came up with. It'd be a nice laugh to share for the first time in 2 months. Felt like forever since you left, but it was only two and a half weeks until you returned. He was eager to see you again; they all were.

.

 **House Fleuret : 11:22pm : 79 days**

You were on your knees in the middle of this pouring rain. Your arms were currently being bound by the hands of two soldiers. If they lifted them any higher, certainly something would pop out of place.

There were no more hiding places. You were surrounded by a number of enemies you could not take out. What did they want from you? For all they knew, you were just a wanderer who journeyed to Tenebrae for healing.

Were they waiting for Ravus to finish up inside? You couldn't let that happen. You'd rather take on all the soldiers than the former prince. He had a strength that you could not match.

The soldiers on each side of you had lifted you off the ground, and they were now taking you toward one of the airships. Did they just receive an order? No, not like this; you thought. You were going to be dragged to Niflheim, and not even on your own terms. You were going as a prisoner.

Well, the question has been posed again; fight or flight? It seemed that you couldn't run, so you only had one option left.

Using all of your body weight, you flipped yourself forward, and overturned the soldiers to the ground. As you got up, you felt the hand of the soldier grab your necklace. The momentum you had combined with the power of its grip yanked you back onto the ground.

An alarm sounded on the two ships that were currently landed, and you watched as a fleet exited to head your way. Your fingers held onto the necklace so you couldn't get choked out by it, but the force was too strong. Your hands became bloody from the power of the chain being pulled back. If you continued to hold on, they would slice through your fingers; and that was something Luna wouldn't be able to heal no matter how hard she tried.

You grunted and watched as the MT's closed in on you. No goddamnit! This wasn't how it would end. There was too much more to do and see. It was time to pull out the Hail Mary.

Moving your neck to the side, you summoned The Sword of the Damned and sliced through the necklace. Quickly you stood up and made a run for it. There were too many enemies to fight, but too little to give up.

As they came at you, you went for the diaphragm of each. Cutting right through the middle so that even if they did have a chance to get up, it would take a minute.

Your freehand rubbed over the knuckle prints indented in your neck from you holding onto your necklace. It hurt, but as always, adrenaline was the best medicine.

You remembered what your aunt said about meeting up a mile east of the house. That was your best bet. If you couldn't take them all out yourself, she would be able to help some.

Where there was smoke, there was fire, and the more of a scene that was being made, the more imperial troops that were landing to detain you. You felt like a runaway thief who'd stolen the most precious jewel on the planet.

You ran as fast as your feet would carry you, and unfortunately it wasn't quick enough. Humans were no match for MT's. That much was made clear, and tonight you were able to comprehend that for the first time.

Tackled into the thinned grass, you were. It was no light tackle. This was an attack to subdue. Your body crashed to the ground face first into the craggily rocks, but you'd not stay there long. Summoning your weapon once again, you threw your arm back to slice the head of the soldier clean off its shoulders.

More came, and it was you against them. Again you could see the hellish red and white lights in the sky. They were landing all around you. Why you? You were no one of noble blood or high profile. Maybe you sent off some kind of defense mechanism from initially attacking.

Two came at you wielding axes, and you feared the worst. If you got hit, that could be it. You had nothing to heal you, and no armor to retard any attacks. Your eyes switched between each MT until they both reached you.

Swinging at the same time, you held out your sword to hold them off. Using what might you had, you pushed back and broke away for a brief moment. The second was short-lived, but you used it to your advantage. Giving a kick to the one on the left, you knocked it over and rendered it vulnerable.

As for the other one, you drove your sword deep into its core and released your hand from the weapon; letting it fade away once more. There was still no waterfall in sight, at least not the one she spoke of, and this run couldn't last forever. You were going to get caught.

Damn the floating islands of Tenebrae. Had this been Insomnia you could have lost them down a street, or at least thrown them slightly off your path. There were only bridges connecting each place, so that meant no escape.

You looked back to see what progress you made. Didn't you watch movies? That was always a grave mistake. The direction of the path you ran skewed just a bit, but it was enough to make you stumble on the side of the bridge.

Of course the rail free bridges would come back and haunt you. You felt your whole body fall down with only half of it still up on the walkway. You grit your teeth and grunted as you hoisted the rest of yourself up.

As you did, you had to remember that this was real life. Nothing and no one was going to wait for you to help yourself before attacking. They would kill you without hesitation.

Wide were your eyes; like you'd just seen your worst fear come to life. The MT came swinging at you with its axe; slow motion. Your eyes watched as the sharp edge sliced through your arm, but it only got about 13 stitches deep before a brute force tremored through its chest. It was so fast you couldn't even see what happened.

Your eyes closed as metal parts came flying out of its torso and hitting the ground. Some speckled on you as well. Looking the other way, you saw your aunt holding what looked like a magitek whip. Sleek black, long, and deadly. Really, was that her weapon of choice?

Finally you were able to get back up onto land. You were out of breath, but not out of the woods. One by one the soldiers kept approaching, and she'd easily rip through them with her whip. It was like clockwork. She could do this all day. It was nice to know that the woman training you could actually hold her own.

She snapped her whip one last time; wrapping it around the head of an MT and pulling back. Down the abyss it fell, and that was the last of them.

"Come on, we're not too far from the waterfall." She placed her weapon back underneath her clothing. "There's something you need to see."

You wondered what it could possibly be. Guess it wasn't just some rendezvous point after all.

"Use this." She handed you a hi-potion. "It'll do for now, but you won't feel your best until you get that sewn up."

You held out your hand and squeezed tightly against the potion. The contents inside did make you feel better immediately, however this was just a quick fix.

The further you walked, the louder it became. Rushing water; a major waterfall. The two of you stopped just as you could see it. The water lit up from the microorganisms that lived inside. Without it, it would be hard to see since the sun had just set. It was still gorgeous, but you could tell that a place like this would be breathtaking in the daylight.

"Do you remember?" The woman looked over at you, and seeing your confused facial expression told her she'd have to remind you. "This is where we first met. Where you last saw your mother."

You nodded, "Right, the place I often visit in my deepest nightmares. Why are we here?"

"Because you should see it. Don't fear this place because of what has happened." She closed her eyes and relished in the moment.

Your mother was a person you remembered fondly, however you never took into consideration that it was your aunt's best friend too. Certainly it must have hurt her deeply to see her friend die.

It was hard standing here, but you knew it was needed. Building up your hate for the imperial army as well as overwriting a stale memory with a tender one.

You sighed harshly, "Well, we can't stay here all night, right? What abou-"

"Your training?" She chuckled in her raspy tone as she cut you off, "You've been finished with that for a long time now. I only wanted to push you to the brink so that when the time came for you to use those techniques you'd be surprised by how easy it was. I wanted you to feel empowered and know that there wasn't a single person who could hold a candle to you. Training you was my duty, and raising you was not just my promise to a friend; it was my pleasure."

She pulled back the garbs on her face, and for the first time you saw her smile. Not just with the pulled corners of her mouth, but her teeth as well. It was an intoxicating smile. It made you wonder why she never did it more often.

She placed a hand on your shoulder, "I can't take full credit for the person you've become. That's just the way you are. I'm proud of you." The older woman nodded, "And I lov-"

What? Why did she stop? Your eyes widened as her body tipped over right into your arms. As the rain poured, you could see the red liquid that discharged onto the gravel in which you stood.

"No! No!" You yelled. "Please!"

Frantically your hands searched for the wound, and they became bloodier the closer they got to it. You pulled up her garbs, and underneath she wore a black tank top. Her arms were adorned with scars covered by tribal tattoos that you'd only seen just a handful of times.

There it was; a bullet wound right to the chest. At this point you wished that it would only have penetrated you too. Two of your loved ones struck down in cold blood; seemingly in the same place.

Speechless. What else was there to say?

You flinched as you heard another gunshot hit the ground right beside you.

The woman held her chest as her gurgled, "Get out of here! Now! You need to get to the train!"

You shook you head, "What?! I can't leave you!"

Hectically your eyes danced around as you saw more ships landing near you. Again you ducked from a bullet just grazing the ground right beside you.

The woman staggered to her feet. One hand held her whip, and the other held the hole in her chest. "I won't last long enough to make it to that train, but I can make sure you can."

Already the blood spilled from her mouth; staining her teeth and down her chin. A dying woman's final stand. It was noble, but nobility could only last her so long.

Another bullet cut through the air. It was directed right at you, but before it could reach, the woman before you pushed you out of the way. She grunted as the scorching metal pierced her shoulder.

"You don't have time to contemplate whether you want to live or die!" Her bloody hand clenched onto your shoulder. "Get out of here! Or I'll kill you myself!"

She was right. You had to leave. It felt like moving a mountain to get each foot in front of the other, but you had to. Giving a kiss to the woman's forehead, you looked into her daffodil eyes one last time.

"They will pay for what they have done. Twice now they've damned me. Shame on me…"

There was no time to grieve. If you stayed, you'd eventually be lying right beside her. For now, there was a train to catch, and while you were still not a target, this was the best time to run.

Your head looked back to see an unimaginable amount of MT's coming at her. She was always good for her word, and hold them off she did. Cracking her whip in every direction; had she not been fatally wounded she may have stood a chance.

Just 2 more minutes, and you could be out of this hell hole. Never again did you want to come back to Tenebrae. A place that brought you peace once has now become the center of your woes.

Your now cauterized arm was no longer a problem, but you would have to see a doctor about it at some point.

There it was; the train, and it was getting ready to shut its doors. Using your adrenaline and what energy the hi-potion gave you, you jumped through the gates at the last second; literally.

Finally you were able to let it out. No quiet sobbing. This was the big one. You rolled over with your back now to the ground. It was not comfortable considering the backpack that you were still wearing, but that didn't matter in this moment.

It was as if you reverted to a small child. Your wails must've carried through at least a few train cars. Maybe you seemed like a woman gone mad, but that wasn't a bad assumption. You were. Someone close to you had died right before your very eyes, and you had no time to give a proper farewell.

It seemed so primitive to just leave her soon to be lifeless body out there, but what other choice did you have? Your hands banged against the metal floor of the train, and you were just waiting for someone ask you to control yourself. Anyone; you were looking for a reason to take out this anger and frustration.

She never told you she loved you. Not outright. You always knew she did, but she never said it. That was your moment to hear it for the first time, and it had been shattered. Moments like that could not be repeated or redone. That was it.

Where would you go from here? She was going to be the messenger for the king, and now there wasn't one. Once you had time to accept what has happened, you would travel back to Insomnia and request an audience from the king.

For now you were committed to Altissia. She may have said that your training was finished, but in your eyes, a warrior's work was never done. You'd stay there for as long as you saw fit. 79 days is all you had left. The empire had no idea who they just scorned.

.

 **Northern Altissia : 6:40pm : 64 days**

You sat inside the empty establishment bloody and jaded by the world. Your time of grief was still among you. It hurt to pick up the work that someone so beloved to you once taught.

It was only two weeks ago that she died. Time was always the best medicine for healing, but you still needed more of it. As any good warrior, you'd push forward, and continue working on what needed to be refined.

Normally a situation like the one you faced would take a person's heart out of the matter completely, but it only fueled you. Your worry now was that you wouldn't be able to control yourself once you got there. You feared that you'd just tear everything apart without even thinking.

Anger was never a worthy emotion to settle upon. It was heavy. Eventually you'd have to let it go, but for now it was the only thing you could feel besides sorrow.

Your hand reached to fidget with your necklace, and you remembered it was no longer there. You were so accustomed to it being there, that you'd occasionally touch your bare neck forgetting that it was gone.

It was funny, when you first got the thing you were opposed to even wearing it. You made Noctis promise not to tell you how much it cost. Promise that he got it from a machine. Fine jewelry was all well and good, but it was burdening to know that he paid so much for it.

As an 8 year old immigrant fresh from Tenebrae, you were an open target for mean children. Five long years you suffered alone. That was until you met Noctis of course.

That necklace wasn't a birthday present, or Christmas gift. It was merely a gesture from one friend to another. That's what made it so special to you. A random Tuesday in the middle of the school year, and now it was gone. Another memory refusing to fade from depths of your mind.

Your head turned as you heard a loud boom outside. Exiting the building, you walked enough distance out so that you could see the cause of this. The fireworks of a chocobo and a moogle burst into the sky. It was all so bright.

You'd been cut off from the outside world for so long that you didn't realize there was a festival going on. Being on the upper end, closer to Yureil Plaza, you couldn't see much. Although you were still pretty far away, you could hear some of the chatter of a loud crowd. What you wouldn't give to laugh like that again.

This would be your last night in Altissia. From here you'd head back to Insomnia tomorrow morning. If there was one thing that your aunt always taught you, it was to be independent. 60 days of training was her itinerary. Tenebrae was already a source of your sorrows. You didn't want to add Altissia to that list.

You sat on a small bridge and tried as best you could to enjoy the fireworks. There were tears in your eyes, but they'd not fall. You felt so lonely right now. If only you had someone, anyone to share this moment with.

The multicolored lights of the fireworks reflected off your skin as you gazed into the night's sky.

"I wish you guys were here. I know you'd really like it…"

.

 **Tenebrae : 12:30pm : 77 days**

Lady Lunafreya exited her home and walked out to enjoy the warmth of the afternoon. Though the time you two had was short, it also remained invaluable.

She walked forward into the grass. She'd not get very far as she was stopped by something. It was clear as day. The red diamond reflected right into her line of sight.

Kneeling down, she picked up the jewel and held it in her hand. What happened here? While she'd been speaking with her brother, she became oblivious to all other matters.

Perhaps you were in such a rush to leave that your necklace snagged onto something and broke off? It wasn't out of the realm of possibilities. The necklace was a prized possession to you, yes, but leaving it behind was more important than getting caught by the empire. She had to send this back right away.

Rushing inside, she knelt before Umbra. Lining the necklace in the notebook, she'd send it off. Luna didn't want to worry Noctis of matters that she was unsure of. One thing she did want to do however, was let Noctis know that both you and she met, and was okay.

She spoke nothing of the necklace in her message. Noctis would know who to give it to. The girl clasped her hands once more; praying that you and Noctis both were in good fortune.


	29. Lost in Leide

**Altissia : 9:00am : 63 days**

You were preparing to set sail back home. This was not the exit you wanted, nor the one you deserved. It was a shame to leave a city so beautiful without having explored it, but in the state you were in, you wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway.

It seemed like this boat ride wasn't as lengthy as the first time, even though it was actually a bit longer. There was nothing to anticipate. No new lands to explore. You always thought that leaving Insomnia might be some cool adventure, but really it was nothing short of a nightmare.

While your mind was still dancing, you wrote down your thoughts. A letter addressed to no one. You wrote about how heavy it was to watch Altissia fade in the distance. How the city was so gorgeous, but it wasn't yours, so you'd have to keep your distance. Had you seen this land before Insomnia, you'd be hard pressed to reside in the crown city. Altissia was a place that seems all knowing on the surface, but really it was much more than that on the inside. Kind of like Ignis Scientia.

Similar to all of your notes, you didn't write down a name, but you knew who you were writing to. These weren't for the boys to read. These were merely loose journal entries that killed time.

Lifting your head up again, you saw Galdin Quay coming back into view. This was where the hard part would begin. Which way was back to Insomnia? You were sleeping damn near the whole car ride. Who knew what kind of twists and turns were made?

The worst part is that you were too afraid to ask for directions back to Insomnia from fear of being questioned. You couldn't stay stranded at Galdin forever now could you? No, that was totally irrational. Plus you had to get back to the king to tell him what transpired.

.

 **Galdin Quay : 1:04am : 63 days**

It felt good to be back on your home turf, or near it anyway. You wouldn't be able to truly exhale until you got back to the crown city.

Through the small resort you walked. Panic struck you for just a moment. What if the car wasn't there anymore? Then you'd be gil-less and out of luck. Your worried self jogged ahead just a bit, and there it was. Still in mint condition.

You pulled the key from your backpack and opened the trunk. You tossed your pack inside and began to look for a map or something. What you found wasn't a map, but money. Why was there so much gil in the back of this car? Was your aunt a secret thief? Of all the bad things she did while she was alive, thievery would be close to the bottom.

Maybe she left it for you? Did she know she was going to die? No, she couldn't have. Then again, she was known for preparing for the worst. Perhaps this was assurance. Just in case she did you wouldn't be stuck here in Leide without a gil in the world. Probably.

It made you angry. Why would she leave if she knew there was a chance she'd die? Just so you could train? Just so you could meet Luna? You could ponder these thoughts later. For now you had some road to pave.

You walked over to the front seat and adjusted everything to your liking. You put your seat belt on and soon after the key in the ignition. You were ready to hit the road.

Putting your hand on the gear shift, you sighed. "Okay, what do I do?"

Right, you didn't know how to drive. Wasn't your fault no one ever taught you. Not only that, but you always walked, and when you didn't want to do that you had friends to bother. If they were busy then you could catch any one of the assessable transportation methods.

"Just gotta remember what Ignis always does." You pulled back the gear shift, "I am pretty sure that he puts it in R first."

Your foot pressed the gas and you hastily rolled back over the cement bar, nearly trapping yourself in the sand.

"Shit, shit! Okay, maybe it wasn't R. Maybe it was D3?" You pulled back once more and stepped on the gas.

Using both feet to drive and stop, this ride wouldn't be pretty. Pretty wasn't what you were going for though. You just wanted to get there. With the sun still on your side, you had plenty of time to take wrong turns and such.

Not even 3 minutes into your drive you found yourself at a crossroads. Make a left and go through the tunnel? Or make a right and keep on straight? You sat there to contemplate for a moment, but that's all it was; a moment. You were holding back traffic, and they were not having it.

"Okay, okay! I'll go straight! Sheesh!" You pressed down on the gas again and went on your way.

It was scary being out on the open road by yourself. There was no one to depend on, and no one to talk with. You couldn't imagine traveling across Eos like this all alone.

Some company was better than none. Even the company of a stranger… even an enemy. Felt like you'd been on the road for hours looking at practically the same scenery. Going straight was either the right choice or a huge mistake, and you hoped it was the former.

Having to turn around and go back was no option at all. You stopped once again at another fork in the road. Left or right? Well you'd been on a pretty linear path so far. If you had to turn back for some reason, you'd at least know what roads you took. Throwing a wrench in now could just mess everything up.

Damn it was boring out here on the open road. Wasn't there anything on the radio? Your attention turned from the road to the sound box. Hmm, what to listen to? Maybe music wasn't the best thing, but news could be interesting and helpful.

Just as you settled on a station your body jerked forward, and you heard a loud crash. Right, you're supposed to keep your eyes on the road at all times. It wasn't bad enough for the airbag to deploy, but you certainly couldn't drive this thing smoothly anymore.

You turned the key and the damn thing just wouldn't start up. Okay, this wasn't funny anymore. Walking all the way back to Insomnia from who knows where was impossible. Fuck this! You'd push the damn car if you needed to, but you weren't leaving it here.

Just as you got out the car, you heard a friendly voice speak to you.

"Well you look like you could use a hand. This ol' gal can be fixed in no time if that's what yer lookin for."

You turned to see a blonde girl with green eyes and clothes you wish you'd thought to wear because damn this desert heat was brutal.

"The name's Cindy." She smiled, "You were comin in pretty hot. Thought you'd slow down but I guess you picked the perfect place to crash."

She wasn't wrong. Seemed as though you crashed into a guard rail right outside of a garage. Hard to say if this was lucky or not though. Crashing in front of a garage, lucky. Crashing in general, not lucky.

You adjusted the wrap over your face and nodded, "Thank you Cindy. Um, you take gil here? Er, uh, I mean… how much gil will it cost me?"

"Yup, we do." The blond woman grinned, "But seeing how messed up she is, I think that'll run you about 2000 gil deep."

2000 gil?! You hoped there was enough gil in that box to see you through these repairs. Also, why was your meal at Galdin Quay more expensive than this repair job? You had so many questions about this outside world.

"That's fine." You hesitantly agreed.

Hell, if you didn't have enough money then maybe you could flee? Or do them a favor? Well, you'd think of something.

"She's gon be a while. There's a diner right down there you could visit while yer waitin." Cindy pointed, "I'll call ya when she's all fixed up."

You had nothing else to do. May as well take Cindy's advice and hang out inside the diner.

.

 **Hammerhead : 7:21pm : 63 days**

A letter to no one… The emptiness of the desert only reminded you of how far you were away from home. There was nothing for miles except sand and open road. Although it felt like you had no one, you still knew you did. The necklace may have been lost, but you felt its presence and meaning more than ever right now.

Your tears welled up and began to fall onto the paper. The ink started to blur from the moisture. It was hard not to feel so down right now. Your whole world was caving in on you, and all you could do to stop it was hold on.

"You alright there?" Cindy came walking into the diner.

Quickly you wiped away your tears. There was no reason to feel ashamed about crying, but explaining your whole situation to a stranger was less than favorable at this moment.

The blond girl took a seat at your booth with you. "Pawpaw said he wanted to take a look at it. Said there was somethin' real interesting about that model." She tapped her chin, "It is a very nice ride, but I'm not sure of his infatuation with it. Anyway, should be done in about half an hour."

You nodded, "Thank you, and to answer your first question, yes. I'm okay. Just a little homesick."

"Where ya from?"

You had no idea what to say, so you just went with the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm from east." Your shoulders shrugged.

"Oh, so you're from Insomnia then?" The woman rose an eyebrow, "Don't get many crown city customers out this way."

Hastily you shook your head, "No, no. I'm not from Insomnia!"

"Well that's where east is, unless you meant somewhere else?" Cindy scratched her head.

How were you gonna dig yourself out of this hole? Cindy didn't seem like the type to blow up your position, but still, no one was to be trusted, especially with your aunt having just recently passed.

"Yeah, just somewhere east. It's a small town, you probably never heard of it." Your eyes looked everywhere but into hers.

The blond girl before you looked out the window. "Sun's getting pretty low. You sure you wanna drive in the dark with the daemon's out?"

Your shoulders came up to a shrug, "Nowhere to go. Besides, I'm pretty tough."

Yes you were tough, but never had you seen the night outside of a walled city before; Altissia included. Daemon's were never a problem because you didn't have to face any. It was a little terrifying to think of the night that awaited you; especially when you had no idea where you were headed.

Technically you knew to head east because Cindy confirmed that was the way to Insomnia, but that's all you knew. Nothing else. Maybe it was too dangerous to keep on the road with it getting dark.

"There's a caravan right outside." The blond girl pointed, "For a small price you can spend the night. Not sure if that's what you wanna do, but it's always an option."

More money to be spent, great. You sort of wanted to drive back down to Galdin Quay and spend the night there. Although it'd be more expensive to stay down there at least you would spend the night in a lush room. Only problem with that was by the time you'd get halfway there it would be pitch black out, and you'd be open prey.

"Cindy." You looked back at her.

She gave you her undivided attention with raised eyebrows.

"I'm not from Insomnia, but if I wanted to get there, which way would I go?"

The blond girl was not the dullest knife in the box, and you'd do well to remember that. She could tell that you were from Insomnia; it was clear that you were.

"You aren't that far off. Just head southeast and it's one long road. You'll be home in no time." The girl paused as if she were going to ask another question but decided against it.

You'll be home in no time. Yes, she picked those words specifically. Maybe it was time to stop acting like everyone had something against the crown citizens and just live without fear. It was hard to after what'd just happened a couple weeks prior.

People like Cindy were not here to harm you. They were here to live their life and do their job. The only people you were hiding from anyway was the empire; until the time came that you'd show yourself.

"What gave it away?" You cocked your head slightly to the left.

"The model of your car. It's not like many seen out here in the desert."

Of course, you were driving a car straight from your hometown. Make and model. Why the hell didn't you think of that?

"If you ever get the chance, you should visit some time. It's nothing like the desert." You smiled at the fond memory. "There are buildings taller than the highest mountains out here. Gardens filled with colorful plants beyond imagination. Great food, great people. Yeah, it's about time I head home."

The woman smiled back at you, "Well as you can tell I'm no city gal… but maybe I will take a visit someday. There's gotta be a reason it has you so blue from being away. So it must be nice. There's technology in the crown city that we can't get out here too. That alone is worth a visit."

"Really?" You frowned slightly, "I guess it is pretty advanced, but I suppose until just now I didn't realize that everyone else's technology wasn't the same as ours."

You felt so ignorant and uncultured even saying those words. There were still many places you hadn't seen. This desert was just one of them and you hadn't even scratched the surface of it. Strange to think how cut off from the world you truly were. Everyone could live in peace if it wasn't for power hungry rulers.

You nodded, "Well, I think I'll take you up on that offer for the caravan. I don't think it's safe for me to be on the road this late at night."

You finished up the rest of your cappuccino, which was honestly lukewarm at this point, and headed out of the diner. Upon taking a step out you were met with the cold eyes of Cid. What the hell did he want?

"You from the crown city?" He just came out with it.

Seriously? You just got through discussing this. Well if it was a fight he wanted then it was one that he was going to get.

"Yeah." You nodded. "Why?"

The man handed you your keys. "Jus-"

"I know. Rarely do you get customers such as myself down here in who knows where, right?" You rolled your eyes as you practically repeated Cindy's words.

"Well, that and I find it interesting that you're driving around with over 250,000 gil in your trunk." His brows came down lower.

He… counted the money? Wow, what a nosy asshole! That was a suspicious amount of money though. At least now you knew how much you had.

"Yeah, so?" You widened your eyes a bit.

"This car ain't yours is what I'm getting at." The man's tone darkened.

Was he trying to say you were a thief, because if that was the case you'd have to completely shut that down right now. Last thing you wanted was another target on your back.

"It was my aunt's, and if you're truly curious she just passed away a couple weeks ago. I went to Altissia to spread her ashes and now I'm on my way back home. The money was everything she left me because she knew she was sick. Anymore questions?"

It was a lie worthy enough for an Academy Award to be perfectly truthful. You sold that shit. There was no true reason behind lying to Cid except for the fact that you didn't want him asking anymore questions. If he continued to hound you than you'd be on the fast track to telling him about your life back home and what was to become of it.

Your gaze turned to the caravan parked out beside the diner. "I believe Cindy said this was available for me to sleep in." You looked back at Cid, "Name a price."

The old man continued to look at you. Sympathy was not what he had for you, not even close. Maybe the look was respect. Maybe he knew you were lying and even though he caught on it was so damn good that he respected you for it. Or maybe he believed your story and could appreciate the strength you showed despite what happened. He was a hard fellow to read.

"It's on the house." He turned away from you.

"What?" You frowned.

Cid continued to walk away, "You want me to charge you 248,000 gil?"

"Take as much as you want. Money isn't what I live for." You watched him walk back to the garage before heading to the caravan.

What you needed now was a shower and some rest. Then you could be fast asleep and one step closer to getting home.

 **Hammerhead : 9:31pm : 63 days**

You lay awake in the small bed. It was hard to sleep as it'd been for the past couple of weeks. You were on your way home, yet you still felt so far away. You missed everyone so much. It would be nice to see them again. It would be nice to be around people you could be completely candid with.

Your anxiety rose as you thought of Gladio once again. What if when you returned he didn't want you anymore? Or worse, what if when you returned he wanted you more than ever? It was probably the former considering the fact that he hadn't tried to reach out to you before you left.

You rose out of the bed as you heard a loud noise. It sounded like metal against metal, or maybe a grunt. Whatever it was, it sounded otherworldly.

Walking over to the window, you saw a light in the distance. Something coming up from out of the ground. A daemon? Is that what this was? Your heart stopped as did time when you watched this creature of the night thrive.

It was terrifying; these daemons. Guess it was a good choice not to drive during the night. It haunted you to see it. An Iron Giant just existing out in the wild like that. Whatever sleep you thought you'd get was now gone forever. Thank goodness for the lights of Hammerhead, or else that thing would be over here and you would be a dead woman.

You went back to the bed and lay with your back to the ceiling. Your face was smothered into the pillow, and all you tried to do was think of happy thoughts. Yeah, happy thoughts like daylight and hanging out with the boys again. That would be nice…

.

 **Apartment : 11:28am : 62 days**

"I'm so booooooored." Noctis grumbled as he flicked through different channels on his television.

"Why don't we go out then?" Prompto spoke halfheartedly at his own suggestion.

"I don't feel like getting up." The prince sunk further into his couch.

"Come on, we can't sit around bored all day. Let's just get ice cream or something." The blond boy again threw out a solution to this boredom.

"I don't feel like driving." Noct repeated in nearly the same tone.

"Iggy can drive us, right?"

"Wrong." The advisor shook his head. "I have work to do. This is why I've prepared lunch a little early."

He wiped his hands on a small towel and headed toward the door. "Please remember to wash off your bowls instead of just placing them into the sink."

With those words he was out the door, and the boys were left in even more misery.

Soon after Ignis left, the front door was opened again by Gladiolus. He was just stopping by as usual. The man took a seat on the couch next to the prince.

"Damn, you guys look like shit. Why don't you get outta the house?" He asked, honestly questioning.

"Too tired.." Noctis continued with his monotone.

"Too bad, we're getting out." He slapped a firm hand to the back of the boy's neck.

"Yay!" Prompto unintentionally squealed. "Where?"

"Citadel, because I have to run a quick errand. Then I'm gonna train your ass." The bodyguard smiled smugly.

There was never any off days with this man, and if that's what Noctis was looking for, than too bad.

"What?! Why do I have to go with you to the citadel?" The raven haired boy finally showed some emotion toward the situation.

"Because I know you, and if I leave you here you're gonna run off. So get your ass up. We're leaving." Gladio forced the boy out of his seat.

Prompto of course didn't have to go, but what else was he going to do? Sulk at home? Nah, he'd rather just sulk with his friends. Being bored with them was better than being bored alone.

.

 **Citadel : 12:52pm : 62 days**

"Ughh, this was cruelty." Noctis grunted.

Waiting around for someone else to finish up their work was even worse than him trying to find something on tv to watch. At least now it was over.

"Quit whining, it wasn't that bad." Gladio rolled his eyes. "Now come on, let's get training."

The three boys headed out, and were ready to be even more bored with this day. Actually, boredom would have been better than what Noctis was getting ready to endure. He'd take the endless monotony over sparring any day.

As the three walked down the steps, they saw a car parked crooked near the sidewalk. It was very odd. Normally cars came here for drop offs only. No one ever parked in front of the citadel. Not only that, it was a shitty job.

Soon their eyes moved from the car, to the person getting out of it; you. You stepped out and you were no longer wearing the garbs. In all respectability, you looked like hell.

Like you'd seen things that'd changed you. Hard to tell if it was for the better or worse, but considering the fact that you were home 4 days earlier than you said you would be, and the first place you came to visit was the citadel- it was probably for the worse.

"Holy shit!" Prompto pointed you out.

Of course they were already looking at you, but he couldn't hold back his excitement. That, and his curiosity.

You had tunnel vision as you walked up the steps. It wasn't until you were just a couple stairs down from the trio that you noticed them. Your heart was too heavy to even get excited right now.

This wasn't how you imagined returning, and damn sure not how you pictured yourself feeling once you saw your friends again.

"Squirt?" Noctis spoke almost inaudibly. "I'm sorry."

You shook your head at his apology. The two of you could have that conversation later. There was no malice you had toward him.

He wondered if you were okay. Judging by your appearance and your tank top revealing all the new scratches on your bare arms, you most likely weren't.

"What happened?" He leaned in a bit with worried eyes.

Your glassy eyes looked into his almost as if it were a dream. You didn't say anything, and it frightened him. Not only him, but the other two as well. Noctis clenched his fists as you took a step up once more.

Placing both of your calloused hands on each side of his face, you brought him closer and planted a delicate kiss on his cheek. It was the infamous kiss. The one that meant you were going to do something he didn't like and explain later. This was more so on the explain later side, but he didn't know that.

That icy kiss shook him to his core. More than the other two could even fathom. But he knew not to ask questions. You'd tell him later, and in much greater detail.

You walked in between the prince and Prompto and carried on your way.

The blond held up his hand, "Wait, bu-"

"Let her go." Noct shook his head. "She has to take care of business first."

He spoke as though he read your mind, and being your eldest friend, he practically could at this point. Didn't mean he knew what was happening, and it was scary.

"I hope she's okay." Prompto worriedly stared at you as you continued up.

Gladio on the other hand remained quiet. What was there to say? Nothing that would add to the conversation in a positive or negative way. His eyes stayed focused on you though. There was an intense apprehension to them.

Seeing how you were now really solidified in Noct's mind that your necklace did not come back as a coincidence or a mistake. Something happened. Something that even Lunafreya was unaware of.

You got hurt both physically and emotionally while you were gone. To know that they couldn't be there for you in your time of need was like a stab to the heart. At least he knew that you weren't upset with him anymore.

Whatever that look in your eyes meant would be sorted out in due time, but for now you had to head in and to get a few things off your chest. You had to request an immediate audience from the king.


	30. Settling In

**Citadel : 12:30pm : 62 days**

You walked down the halls until you were swiftly stopped by security.

"Stop! What business do you have?" A man sternly asked you.

Your eyes looked as though he insulted you in the foulest way. As to say how dare he question your being here.

"I'm here to request an audience from the king, and by request I mean demand." You furrowed your brows.

"Excuse me." The man scoffed, "You can't just waltz in here an-"

"Are you really going to deny me? If the king finds out that you have denied the Champion of Niflheim, it'll be you who pays the price."

The man swallowed hard on his saliva. No you were not royalty, but at the moment you held high importance in this place. It was not worth turning you away or arguing any further.

"Follow me please."

You did as told and followed the man to the throne room. Before you entered he went inside to request an audience for you. Maybe it was due to everything that'd happened, but you weren't as nervous as the first time. Not even close.

You walked inside with neither your chest puffed out nor your tail between you legs. Again, the sound of your footsteps echoed throughout the room. You looked over at Claris for just a moment, and he could tell something was wrong with you.

"My aunt... she..." You swallowed hard, "She was killed in Tenebrae two weeks ago. There is no longer a messenger."

It was quiet. It was impressive how you spoke without even a crack in your voice. You showed strength, and it was commendable.

"Tell me what has happened." Regis edged off his seat just a hair.

"She was shot down. Sacrificed herself so I could get back here."

"You would still continue?" He stared down at you truly questioning.

You nodded, "I leave in 62 days. My only reason in coming here is to inform you that the messenger has passed. I don't stand before you requesting pity. My mission still stands. Messenger or no messenger I will leave at the end of my days. It is in your hands from here what you wish to do." You gave a respectful nod.

Regis just stared at you. They all did. Your tone wasn't disrespectful, but you almost spoke to him as if the two of you were on the same level,

"I will find you another messenger." The king maintained his eye contact, "You needn't worry about that. For now, stay on call."

That was a lot more simple than you thought I'd probably take a while for him to find one, but it better happen within the next 62 days.

Now was the time for you to settle back in. Get readjusted to your home. You wanted to talk to the boys, but for now you needed a moment of peace before you did. You had to gather the words first.

You began to exit the Citadel and you heard a voice call out your name. By the accent and tone you could tell it who it was.

"Ignis?" You turned around and saw the man walking down the same hallway as you.

Running over, you wrapped your arms around him and squeezed tightly. "Put your arms around me." You demanded almost in desperation.

It had less to do with Ignis himself, and more to do with the fact that you needed to be held. He did as you asked though he was not fond of doing so in public and especially at work. There was no one around however, so he was less on edge.

"What in Eos are you doing back here?" His grip tightened as he asked.

"Ignis." You looked up at him with your expressive eyes. Your hands gripping at the back of his jacket. "I need a moment..."

He could see the hurt in your eyes and it was crushing. None of these boys were fond of seeing you upset. You just had this way of making people want to fight for you. His hand pressed against the back of your head, and it now rested on his chest.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"Tighter." You clenched his material even harder.

He did it once more and he couldn't help but question your sudden need for affection. What happened to you while you were gone?

Both you and Ignis stood in the open hallway just embracing. Not a peep from either of you. This was a moment you just wanted to relish in and enjoy without thinking of what to say next.

Like in all workplaces, soon footsteps echoed from down the hall, and that's when you two hastily backed away.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you everything soon... thank you."

He nodded and from there the of you walked in opposite directions.

.

 **Cypress Park : 2:11pm : 62 days**

You sat beside a large tree that was far from where the park visitors often ventured. It was a place you frequently came in your weakest moments. A place you needed to be right now.

How the hell would you muster up the strength to tell the guys about everything that happened? You wanted to see them, but you needed a moment. This was overwhelming after all.

As your eyes closed you took a long and deep inhale- and released. It felt good to expel even some of that stress. Well, that was until you heard that dumb nickname given to you from 5 years ago.

"Squirt!"

"Noctis?" You frowned puzzled, "What are you doing here? Where are the others?"

"I knew you'd be here. You always come here." He took a seat beside you. "I was supposed to train with Gladio, but after seeing you he said he 'forgot' he had other things to do. Prompto stopped by his house to pick up Benedict, but he'll be here soon, and Ignis is at work."

Your eyes directed downward, "Oh..." Looking back at the boy, you wrapped your arms around him, "I'm so sorry Noctis. You had every right to be upset with me. I should have told you everything right from the start, and I stripped you of that option."

You felt relieved as you felt his grasp tighten. "I'm not mad at you. But there's something I want to give you."

He reached in his pocket and presented you with your necklace. It was not the same as you last saw it. The clasp was fixed, and the chain was cleaned. It was paralyzingly to look at.

"Where did you get this?" Your eyes desperately looked into his as you searched for an answer.

"Luna." He answered bluntly as he placed the jewelry in your hand.

You paused for a lengthy period. "I… a lot happened while I was gone, Noctis. A lot of things that can't be reversed. I have so much to tell you."

Before you started you heard the bark of a dog in the distance. The sound of a clinking collar followed, and then you were greeted with the precious doggie licks of your old pal.

Shortly Prompto followed and tackled your sitting body to the ground. He held you tightly, like he hadn't seen you in a lifetime.

The dirt and mud got all on your backs and underneath your nails, but you didn't care. It was nice to be embraced again, and you'd savor it.

"Prompto!" You yelled laughing. "I would leave more often if I knew this is how I'd be greeted in my return!"

He rose back up with you still in his arms. All the while your bloodhound was licking and making a fuss over you too.

"I missed you." The boy pulled away and looked into your eyes. "Why are you home so soon? Your training ended early?"

You nodded as you backed away to look at the boys. "While I was gone, I went to Tenebrae, and I met Lady Lunafreya."

It wasn't very shocking to hear you say that. It was nice to hear for confirmation purposes though.

"It was two weeks ago, and while I was inside House Fleuret, the empire showed up. They killed my aunt." You grit your teeth.

It was hard to repeat the events of just a couple weeks prior, but you did. Every excruciating detail. There was something relieving about it though. Having your friends there with you while you still grieved was more than you could ask for.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you." Prompto once again gave you a deep embrace. "You're safe now."

"Wait, but you're going back?" Noctis frowned with his eyes narrowed at you.

"If I don't then all the sacrifices made in my name will have been for nothing. I have to do this. I already talked to the king about it and I'm going." You stood up from the ground and dusted off the dirt from your backside.

You picked up Benedict's leash and gave a kiss to each boy's forehead. It was much more loving and tender than it'd ever been.

"Where are you going?" Noctis stood up as well.

"I have a knucklehead ex-boyfriend that I need to pay a visit to. Trust me, we won't be able to have a pleasant hangout until I get this off my chest." You rolled your eyes with a chuckle.

Gladio could try to avoid you, but you were coming straight to him. This elephant in the room would be addressed right now. You refused to spend the rest of your days pussyfooting around this issue.

"Maybe that's not such a good idea." The prince shook his head.

"Y-yeah. You might wanna give him some space." Prompto hastily agreed.

You rubbed a hand over your face, "Really? You guys know my situation better than anyone and you're telling me not to go? He can have all the space he wants after we talk."

Noct continued, "All I'm saying is that you might want to give him a couple of days. He's still-"

"I'm going." You cut him off. "One thing I learned when I was in Tenebrae is that if you don't say what needs to be said, then by the time you're both ready it might be too late. I won't take that chance, and I won't spend my final days in misery."

You looked at the boys with intense eyes before walking off.

"Catch you later?" Noct's eyes softened.

You gave a smile and nod, "Count on it."

.

 **Amicitia Manor : 3:43pm : 62 days**

You were parked in the driveway, and you felt sick to your stomach. For once it wasn't because of a hard conversation. It was because your driving was total shit.

You grabbed your dog's leash and walked over to the door. Holding your breath, you knocked on the door and waited for an answer. There was no script in your mind. You were going in totally blind.

The door opened and you stiffened up. It was Jared of course. Who else would open the door?

The older man smiled, "Hello. It's been some time since you last visited. Welcome back."

He stepped aside to let you in, and that's exactly what you did. Your eyes danced around as if it'd been the first time you've been here. Felt like forever. An eternity.

"Thanks Jared, good to be back."

"Hey!" Iris waved to you from the couch, "Did you have fun on your vacation?"

"My..." Of course Gladio didn't tell her the true reason why you left. How could he?

You smiled, "Yes, I did. Good to see you again Iris. Is your brother here?"

The brunette girl nodded, "He's in his room."

You took a deep breath before going upstairs to his room. Your hand came up to knock, but you ultimately decided against it. Nothing in here that you hadn't seen before.

You turned the knob and entered his room. There he was just lying on his bed belly up. Your hands began to get clammy. How would you even start this conversation?

"What the hell are you doing here?" He sat up and faced you.

A gut shot. The first thing he says to you after not having seen you in 2 months is that? Was he really upset still?

"You know why the hell I'm here." You fired back. "We need to talk."

"Let's make this quick. I've got other shit to do today, and I don't wanna waste all my time on this."

You had half a mind to leave right then and there; screw him. You didn't have to take this. The only reason you stayed was to get a few things off your chest.

"So I guess it's safe to say that you're still upset." You barked, "I never took you as someone so fucking petty Gladiolus. I came here ready to accept the fact that we weren't going to be together anymore, but I thought you'd be enough of an adult to at least be my friend."

He stood up from the bed with shoulders shrugged, "Why would you ever think that? We can share the same group of friends and be cordial, but I can't have anything more to do with you. You're a selfish person. I can't be friendly with people that I don't trust. I wish you the best of luck when you leave, but in the meantime I have to live life for myself."

You didn't know what to even say. How could he even see it from this angle? You thought he understood, but you were clearly wrong.

"I'm sorry I ever bothered you." Your tone softened, "I'm sorry I affected you so negatively... I'm sorry that I put my love and energy into the wrong person. Back then... I knew I should have chose the other guy. He's a lot more rational than you, but unfortunately I can't go that route anymore. I chose to give it all to you."

"Guess you'll have to find someone else to give it to then."

You turned your back to the man and gave a sarcastic chuckle, "A lot happened while I was gone. Things I thought you might have wanted to hear, but sure, cut me down at my darkest hour. Whatever makes you feel better Gladiolus."

Putting your hand to the knob, you looked back at him and shook your head. "You aren't even a fraction of the man I thought you were. That's just as deceitful as I was."

Just as you were getting ready to leave, you reached into your pocket and pulled out a black watch encrusted with black diamonds. Money was no object to you anymore since you'd only need it for 62 more days anyway.

That probably wasn't the best way to look at things, just in case there was a reentry plan set in place, but this is how you chose to live.

"I missed your birthday." You walked over and set the watch on the end table by his bed. "Picked this up while I was in Altissia. Thought it would be a good apology present. For both my actions as well as missing your big day… But I can see that I've taken up too much of your time… WAY too much of your time."

You backed away and accepted that this relationship was over… done completely.

"I can't see things from your perspective, so I'll never fully understand how I made you feel. I'm sorry for that. I'll take my punishment and live with the consequences."

With that you left the room and closed it gently behind you. You were upset, but not sad, not even angry. This was the closing of that chapter is all. At least now you knew you'd have to move on. There were more pressing issues.

Back in his room Gladio sat on his bed fighting his own demons. Chase you or don't? Tell you what's really going on, or leave you with these feelings? His hands were clenched up into tight fists. He could just… hit something.

Desperately he wanted to go after you. He wanted to hug you and kiss you and tell you everything was okay, but he couldn't do that.

If only you'd been a fly on the wall for the conversation that took place a month prior, things would make a lot more sense right now.

.

 **Apartment : 6:32pm : 90 days**

"What?! You didn't call her or even try to reach out?" Prompto yelled with a mouthful of food. "That's icy Gladio. Did something...?"

The big man nodded, "She keeps blaming herself for everything. No matter how she looks at it, it's always her fault. So, I'm gonna have to play the bad guy. I came to that conclusion just a couple days before she left."

Noct rose an eyebrow, "The... bad guy?"

"Pretty much." The brunette nodded, "If she's fixated on me being an asshole then she won't think what happened between us is her fault. Maybe she'll be able to even move on some day. It's gonna suck, but it'll help her in the long run. That's all I want."

"Poetic I suppose." Ignis spoke as he cleaned off his partially dusty lenses. "I'm not sure I concur with this idea however. It seems to me that you'll only hurt her more."

"That's where you guys come in." Gladio looked at the trio. "Be on her side no matter what. Reassure her that I'm the reason it didn't work. Her aunt already hates my guts, so she'll also have support there."

Prompto smiled widely, "Aww, you love her so much you're willing to tear her down completely. How romantic."

"Not... really..." Noctis shook his head, "But if your plan seems like it's only hurting her then I'm telling her the truth."

"Fine, deal." Gladio nodded. "But I know it will. It's the only way she'll stop blaming herself, and if we ever plan to see her again I can't send her off to Niflheim with a heavy heart.

 **Amicitia Manor : 4:01pm : 62 days**

You rushed down the stairs and practically raced to the door. "Benedict!" You called the bloodhound.

Snapping the red leash back to her collar, you were set to go. Only one thing stopped you however.

"You're leaving already?" Iris perked up from the couch.

You nodded, "Yeah. Sorry Iris, I have to get home and unpack my clothes. I'm really tired, but I thought I'd just stop by to say hello."

Your foot was halfway out the door when she stopped you in your tracks again.

"You're mad at him? You're mad at Gladdy?"

Turning to face the girl, you exhaled. "It'll be fine." You lied through your teeth. "He just needs his space, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"Are we ever going to hang out again? I really liked our girl's day, and I haven't been able to do stuff like that since." Her large brown eyes stared at you.

"Iris, of course. No matter what happens between me and your brother, we will still be friends. I'll take you out soon, okay? I promise." You reassured her with a smile before finally exiting the house.

"C'mon girl." You tugged on the dog's leash and headed to the car. You needed to go home.

.

 **Home : 4:47pm : 62 days**

You sat outside your home. Still in the car, you debated going inside. This was hard. You couldn't address the matter of your home and the breakup with Gladio all in the same day. Maybe sleeping in the car wouldn't be so bad?

You rested back about 120 degrees in your seat. This existence and destiny was getting harder to deal with. One thing that shook you were the eyes of Ravus Nox Fleuret. So stilling.

You felt like one gaze from the man just paralyzed you in place. Who was he? Well, you knew who he was, but who was he really? You wondered if you'd cross paths with him again in Niflheim. If you did, would he remember you? Your face wasn't showing, but you had quite the unforgettable eyes. So expressive even when they weren't trying to be.

"62 days Benedict." You rolled over and reached out to pet the dog in the passenger seat. "62 more days and this one's halfway over. We better enjoy our time now before it's too late."

A smile appeared on your face. "I think I'll be okay girl." Your hand continued to lazily stroke the dog. "Breakups are so overrated." You laughed with neutral tears in your eyes.

They were neither tears of sadness or joy. One thing you came to the conclusion of was that life goes on. Yes the love of your life told you to fuck off and that you were a waste of time, but there was still air in your lungs. You still friends and a roof over your head. That counted for something.

Most of all, you were able to rationalize everything. Gladio wasn't the man you thought he was, so whether you had some huge secret or not, this wouldn't have worked out. That much you could live with. The sting of it would take time, but at least now there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Do you mind if we sleep in here tonight Benedict?" You gave her a tender kiss on the head, "I'll keep the windows down, don't worry."

With that you rested with your eyes closed until you were off to sleep. By no means was this a good sleep. Vivid dreams entered your mind. A world of darkness. It was absolutely haunting. What was up with these dreams lately anyway? The two you had were both different but still made no sense.

This wasn't fun. Luckily you were woken up by the sound of your phone vibrating against the dash. Your eyes cracked open and you saw you phone lit up.

Grabbing it, you saw a text from Noctis. 'You alright squirt?'

Instead of just replying, you'd call. He could be annoyed with you for this later. The answer to that question wasn't very simple.

"Hello?" He picked up. "How'd it go?"

"He's a great friend, but a shitty boyfriend. I'm not saying this so you can chose sides or anything."

You took a momentary pause. You didn't want to badmouth Gladio. He may have went off the deep end right now, but when you were together he treated you as a girlfriend should be treated and beyond. He couldn't fake things like staying up all night to listen to you complain. What you had was real, but a bad fit.

"I think we should all hang out." You smiled, "I believe in that voicemail you mentioned something about the beach?"

Noctis; you could just feel him smiling through the phone. Softly of course, and it wasn't because of this trip you were planning. It was because you heard his voicemail. His heart could be set at ease with that.

"Yeah, it'll be great." He spoke in a somber tone.

"But for right now..." You added quickly after he spoke. "I just need to get readjusted to my life back here. I want to settle in for a couple weeks, ya know?"

"I hear you… Just so you know squirt… I… it wasn't the same without you."

Your voice pepped up as he spoke, "I love you too Noctis. You gotta get better at saying it. I swear 80 years from now you're gonna be on your death bed staring me in my eyes telling me I'm 'the best' with your final breath or something."

The two of you shared a laugh. It was true. He wasn't like Prompto who could say the three words without hesitation. To each their own, and you wouldn't pressure him. Besides, the only person he needed to say he loved was Luna… doubt he even did that much.

"I'll talk to you later." He grumbled in a fictitiously annoyed voice.

"Alright. Talk to you then." You hung up and looked at the phone.

You looked at the newly cracked screen and sighed, "Where do I go from here?"


	31. Reajusting

**Home : 5:35pm : 60 days**

You were in your car still trying to work up the nerve to go inside. An entire day passed and you didn't go in. This wasn't the way you should deal with it, and sending Benedict off to the sitters was probably a good idea for now.

You unbuckled the seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Slowly you walked over to your porch. This was the closest you got in hours. Still nothing however. You took a seat on the steps. If you went inside you'd be reminded of all the things... all the memories you made here.

There was too much happening right now, and you were spiraling. No family and no boyfriend? Welcome home.

You leaned over and buried your face into your knees as you wrapped your arms around your legs. No crying, just trying to accept the situation.

Slowly you lifted your head as you heard footsteps approaching. Dress shoes? Of course; Ignis.

"What are you doing here?" You looked at the man.

You weren't trying to be rude or make him leave, but this was just a surprising visit. So long as he was here, you'd make room for him by scooting over.

The man took a seat beside you, "We were supposed to converse, remember? If you're ready that is."

Giving a slight nod, you began to tell him everything. All that happened in Tenebrae and the aftermath. Where you'd go from here and how you would execute the plan. It was difficult talking about it, but as with many things it got easier.

"I'm not looking for sympathy or anything." You shook your head, "My aunt knew the risk, and deep down I think I did too. Those last two weeks were hard without anyone, but I chose to live them that way. I knew if I could manage that, I could fulfill my duty."

Ignis looked at you with such caring eyes. You didn't want his sympathy, but that's what you got anyway. No he wouldn't verbalize it because he knew you didn't want to hear it, but he was here for you.

"Gladio... does he-"

"Nope." You shook your head, "I went to his house to talk to him and he just... yelled at me."

The bottom side of your closed fist hit the ground, "My aunt she... she left me a fortune but I didn't know that at the time. So just before I left Altissia I sold some of her things so I could buy this stupid watch for Gladio and..."

You paused as all of the rage started to seep in. Had you known this would have happened you would have kept them. They were things you had just a bit of trouble parting with, but not too much. They were things that you knew you'd eventually sell or give away regardless, but still. The thought of it was infuriating.

In Ignis' eyes you could see that he was surprised by your words. He knew this whole elaborate plan of Gladio's was complete foolery to begin with. That was the thing about the bodyguard though. He was caring to a fault. He'd do stupid things if it meant that his loved ones were okay, but you weren't okay.

"I think perhaps... you should try to have another conversation with him. Tell him what you've told me." There was a sternness in the man's eyes. Like he was demanding you to talk to him again.

"I don't want to." You shook your head. "I just wanna move on from here. There's nothing else I have to say."

You stood up and walked down the path leading away from your home. You stopped as you saw an incoming call from Gladiolus.

"Speaking of Satan himself." You pressed end and sent him to voicemail.

There was too much going on for you to be dealing with this chicanery. Ignis stood up and looked at you with fixed eyes.

"You only have 60 days before you leave; perhaps for good. I think it's best that you tie up any loose ends now. Besides, you'll need as many allies on the outside as you can get."

"There are no 'loose ends' Ignis." You looked away from him, trying to avoid his harsh gaze. "As for my allies..."

You turned back to face the man as you pondered his words. "Is there something you know that I don't?"

Now it was he who couldn't bear to look at you. Why was he acting like this?

"You would play coy now?" You asked with a slight frown.

"It's not my call." He began to head away from your home, "It is good to have you back though."

Ignis had this way of making you feel guilty or look at things from a different side. This time you'd not budge though. You had a right to feel how you did and not want to speak.

You loved these boys, but one thing they collectively seemed to misunderstand was that you needed time to process things. Maybe Ignis knew this and the reason behind his actions was something deeper. You really figured he was withholding info now.

Everyone else always had the right to act on pure emotion, so why not you? Irrational was not generally the attitude you liked to go with, but hell, you had a lot to process right now.

Now you were too upset to go inside your house. That, and you were looking for a way out of going inside anyway. It was too difficult. A hotel should do for the next couple of days.

.

 **Hotel Insomnia : 4:48pm : 53 days**

An entire week had come and go, and you felt as though you still hadn't truly readjusted back home as you wished. Maybe it was because you knew being here was just a temporary thing. Speaking of home, the doors to yours remained locked do to you still being unprepared for the emotions that awaited you beyond the threshold.

You spoke to the boys just like normal, but you did your best to avoid Gladio. As with many things, your best was good enough. You hadn't seen him since the confrontation. Every now and then you'd get a call, but you didn't pick up.

Lucky for you, his work schedule had been insane for the past few days, so he didn't have much time to pester you. You figured he wanted to apologize for the things he said, but you really didn't want to hear it right now. He needed to reap what he sowed.

"You still haven't been home yet?" Prompt looked up at you.

The two of you were on the couch planted in front of the tv, and his head was in your lap. You combed your fingers through his hair as the two of you chatted.

"What's stopping you?" He continued to question.

"I don't... I don't know how I'll feel when I step inside. I've hated that house ever since I was a girl and... I mean I guess I'll have to go back eventually since the house is being sold, but there are things I'm just not ready to address yet."

He wouldn't press you on this issue. He knew you wouldn't avoid it forever. Prompto was always a good friend in that way. You never felt pressured to do anything, and that was what you loved about him.

"It was scary out there." You held your shivering arms. "It was.. lonely; vast. Having my aunt with me actually normalized things believe it or not."

You smiled, "She was always grumpy, even down to her final moments. It was hard losing her, but I relish every minute I had. Even the annoying stuff."

Prompto smiled, "I'm just glad you're back home. Safe."

"Yeah me too.." You sighed in relief as your fingers coursed through his hair again.

You thought about what Ignis said, and how you only had a few weeks left before you were gone for good. Those loose ends really wouldn't tie themselves. Maybe it was best to at least get your house out of the way. You could address the issue of Gladio later.

"I should.. probably get going." Your fingers stopped combing through his hair once more.

"Home?" He sat up.

You nodded, "Yes."

"Did you need me t-"

"No." You shook your head. "This isn't me trying to lone wolf it or anything, but.. I'd just like to be alone when I'm there. Might not sleep there but I should at least go inside. Maybe I'll give you a call when I'm cleaning my room. I'll need the company, surly."

He was understanding as usual. It comforted him to know that you weren't just going rogue with this one like usual. He wanted to be there when you emptied your home. It was best you had positive energy around.

.

 **Home : 5:34pm : 53 days**

At your front door is where you stood again. Hands shaky, and this time not from your bow. There was nothing to stop you this time. Ignis wasn't going to just walk up behind you and stave off your bravery. You told Prompto to stay away, and pretty sure Noctis was training with Gladio who'd rather die than come to visit you.

"Here goes nothing." You put your hand to the knob that had been unlocked for several minutes now.

Your turned and opened the door. A wave of emotions hit you as the first smell of that natural musk your house had hit you. Suck it up. You've already come this far. The door creaked as it opened. It had officially become that creepy house on the block with the unkempt yard. The creaking door didn't help.

You set your right foot in and took a deep breath. If you could get in the front door you could get in the living room. If you could get in the living room you could get in your room. If you could get in your room... you could try to get in the other rooms at least.

That plan went out the window as soon as you set both feet in. It was like a gravitational pull to her room; your aunt's. That would be the hardest. You couldn't. Maybe it was best to just settle in for a bit. Watch some tv? Yes that was a good idea.

You sat on the couch with an unease as if it weren't your own home. Your jaw clenched as you turned on the television. It was on the last channel you watched; cartoons. You couldn't remember the last time you turned on this tv but it was probably with Prompto considering the channel. You didn't frown but you definitely didn't smile as you watched.

Sitting there.. it was like the whispers from within that room were getting louder and louder. It was calling to you, and focusing on this show wasn't helping a bit. Maybe you just needed to listen to your intuition and rip the band aid off. Go from hardest to easiest.

You stood up and walked over to the door. "This is fine. It's just stuff." You pumped yourself up.

It was like the front door, but this time you'd not wait. No, this time you'd just do it and swing the door open. What a mistake that was. You weren't ready.

To your knees you fell. Whimpering like it had just happened. Like you just watched her be killed right before your very eyes. It was a good thing that didn't happen however. That's probably why she sent you off. Dying in front of you was not an image she wanted you to have.

Still, it was the emptiness that made you feel this way. Your life was in shambles and you had a limited amount of time to get it together. It angered you, but it also just made you cry harder. The items in this room. It was unexpected.

You stood up again and placed your hands to your face to wipe away the tears. As you did, you felt arms wrap around you. Arms? Was this some kind of dream? Before you could look the person spoke.

"Shhhh. It's gonna be okay."

"Gladio?" You squirmed out of the grasp. "What are you doing in my house?! Get out! Go! Now!"

You yelled at him like never before. There was such a raw sternness that he wasn't prepared for. How did he know you were here? Why did he just come in? You knew you should have locked the door.

"Don't fucking touch me Gladio! I won't let you hurt me again! Now get out of my house!" You were yelling like HE was the one who killed your aunt.

He didn't fight you at all with his words. He knew your anger was partially for him, and partially because of your current head space. Instead, he'd just hold you close. Wrapping his arms around you again. It was that grip he always had. The one that kept you totally immobilized.

"Stop." You hushed. "You're not allowed to be here." You continued to sob as your body's natural reaction was to give into his hold.

"I didn't know." He kept you pressed against him. "I didn't know, and I'm so sorry."

"You broke my heart." Your voice was airy.

"I had this plan.." He started. "I wanted to make you hate me. That way you wouldn't blame yourself for what happened between us. Just tried to free you of at least one emotional burden. I knew it would hurt in the moment, but I was thinking about the long run. I was upset when you left 2 months ago, but I cannot blame you for handling the situation the only way you knew how."

What an idiot! That was the worst plan he could have ever come up with! How did the boys not call him out on that? You still remained the same way; sobbing. You were listening, but there was only so much of this shit you could take.

"I would never have followed through if I knew you were coming back home with the load of everything that happened to you on the other side." You could just feel the walls that he built up around himself come crumbling down. "I didn't know about any of it. Your aun-"

"Don't talk about her!" You snapped at the man; pulling away while his grip was loosened. "If you're gonna be an asshole to me then do it! Don't suddenly stop because you feel bad for me! Fuck off with that. I don't want your sympathy."

A sore spot still; obviously. The thought of you selling her things for that stupid watch was infuriating. He shouldn't bring her up again unless he wanted 5 to the face.

"You're not listening." He spoke to you calmly still.

He knew you had a lot of things going on right now, and him yelling back would only cause more turmoil. A fight is not what he wanted. He turned to see what was in that room, and he came to understand what was happening with you right now.

"I thought wrong, okay? I can admit that." He finally took his eyes off of you. "My best judgement was not my best, clearly."

"Why are you here?" You stood a sizable distance away from him.

"You left the door cracked and I could hear you crying from outside."

Okay that much you didn't know, but he didn't answer the question. At least not in the way you wanted it to be answered.

"No, I mean why did you come? Cause I can't do this Gladiolus. I can't do this." You gestured between the both of you.

"You weren't answering any of my calls or texts so I figured I'd have to show up in person. To a place that I know you'd come back to eventually." He shrugged. "I heard that you hadn't been home in a while, so figured you might need a hand."

He was still dancing around the question. Lead you to believe that Prompto was probably the one who told him. You'd not blame the boy. Gladio wore him down easily, and he'd been withholding your whereabouts for a week now. There was only so much more he could take.

You stubbornly shook your head. "This past week has been hell for me. I lived it thinking that the man I loved absolutely hated me. On top of that I had to figure out how the hell I'm gonna clean out my house because I don't want to throw it all away, but at the same time I can't any of it to Niflheim, and the chances of me leaving with air in my lungs is slim, so who gives a shit? I probably won't see any of this stuff again. The weight of my aunt dying is still on my shoulders. I had to jump back into school and keep up the facade that I took a relaxing vacation for two months. The king still hasn't informed me about this new messenger. I keep having strange thoughts about a man that I never properly met, and I haven't slept more than 2 hours a night in days."

It was sort of nice to get all of that off your chest. You didn't mind burdening him with your feelings. He needed to hear what you were going through. You could tell that what you said really got through to him though.

"Let's start with this." He took a lengthy pause. "I love you. I'm still in love with y-"

"No. I don't wanna hear that." You rolled your eyes; wiping away the remaining tears. "You tried to call the shots and it failed. Badly. Now it's my turn. Gladiolus, I think we are just star crossed. I believe that in every lifetime I will find you and fall in love with you, but we're just doomed from the very beginning."

He shook his head in disagreement. You were wrong. He didn't believe the words you spoke, but by your tone, he could tell that you truly did.

"So what then?" He asked since you made it clear that you should be the one calling the shots.

"I think... I think we should be friends. I will always love you but there are just more pressing issues right now."

It was a hard pill to swallow on both ends, but sure, he'd allow this. Friends. For 53 more days? Couldn't be that hard right?

"Is there anything you want to ask me? I'll give you 3. Completely candid. No holds barred." Your gaze caught his, and both of you were just worn down.

The brunette nodded, "Did you mean what you said? Bout coming back from Niflheim? You'd chase me?"

You nodded, "I will. If I ever get to see you again it'll prove to me that we aren't star crossed. Your heart will already be claimed by someone else by then, but I've already accepted that."

He looked away for a moment. "That other man. Why did you choose me over him?"

This one was a question he should have asked months ago. The fact that he's still bringing it up must mean that it really did affect him more than he led you to believe. He probably wouldn't like the answer, but you promised to be truthful.

"Because I didn't want to see him hurt. I didn't want to see you hurt either, but he'd just been so good to me. I thought you'd take the news of me leaving better. Thought you'd be stronger. Not that he was known for losing his cool, but... yeah."

You chose him because of how he'd take the news. Made him wonder. If Niflheim wasn't in your future you would have chosen this other man wouldn't you? Disheartening to think about. You prayed it wasn't his follow up question because he definitely wouldn't like that answer.

"Was it Ignis?"

Okay maybe it would have been best if he asked about the alternate future. This was a living nightmare. No, you two were officially not together anymore, but shit! This was a really had question to answer. Simple, but difficult. You promised to be truthful though.

"Yes." You nodded. "But it never turned physical. Not even for a second."

He didn't look surprised by it. It was like you confirmed a suspicion or something. Were you two that obvious? Guess you never were really good at hiding your emotions.

"We agreed to 3 but I'll allow this follow up." You figured it was best that you explained. "Ignis Scientia is a man that I foresaw to be too good for me, so I never allowed my mind to even go there. I felt the same way about you, except you pursued me. In your case I was just waiting for the punchline. If I chose to be with Ignis he would be here right now. He would be holding me as I lay all of my problems at his feet. Kissing me and telling me that everything would be okay. He'd have a nice dinner cooked up, and if I didn't want to leave my bed he'd bring it to me there and stay with me all night. Draw me a warm bath and stay by my side to talk with me. Not even for a second would he allow me to question our being together. He'd have my back until the very end and constantly reassure me that 53 days wasn't a countdown to the conclusion of our relationship. He'd make me feel second to none, and make me almost forget that I have a limited number of days."

You walked closer to Gladio until you were looking him directly in the eyes. "That being said; I bear no romantic feelings for the man anymore. I love him as I do Noctis and Prompto. I've told you this before… I gave everything to you, and even though it didn't work between us, I harbor no regrets."

Even closer you got until you were practically up under the man. "So this is the last time I ever want to have any conversation like this. No questioning feelings, no dwelling on the past, no enquiring 'what we are.' This is it."

It was hard for him to believe your words. The way you spoke so highly of Ignis was as if it was a life you frequently dreamed of. Honesty was the key to this conversation however. You told no lies. All of your feelings were with Gladio. He may have cleared things up with you, but there was still a tinge of you that was angry and upset with him. Even still, you were in love with him. You knew it was best not to act on those emotions though.

"You were honest with me so now it's my turn. I'll give you the same courtesy of 3." His voice remained neutral. Like he didn't want you to see him sweat.

You held up a finger. "I only need one."

Kind of nerve wracking. Just one question huh? This ought to be good.

Questions like 'did you really love me' served no purpose. You knew exactly how he felt about you. There was no doubt about it. Just one thing you needed to know.

"How many? How many did you lay with while I was gone?" You placed your back to the wall.

It wasn't something that you even really wanted to know. More so something that had been grating in the back of your mind ever since you'd been back. It was hardly classified as cheating since you weren't together, but still you were very curious.

"One." He took a moment, "Just a little touching and kissing. I was trying to commit to this role and move on, but I couldn't go any further."

It was hard to hear but probably not as hard as what you told him. To even hear that he tried to stave off his feelings for you by hooking up with someone was saddening. Again, you weren't together, so it was his life to live. He was in charge of his own decisions.

A light smile was on your face now. Bashfully you looked away and back in his eyes. "Why? You couldn't get it up?"

Outright you laughed. It was a joke you couldn't pass up. Besides, in times of hurt and pain like this, it was nice to find pockets of humor. It took him a moment, but he came around and laughed with you.

To share this laughter in such a dark time was nice. For a moment you forgot about being home and cleaning out all your things.

"Maybe I should head home now." The man smiled at you.

"Stay." You spoke in between a plea and demand. "I'll need the company if you're up to it."

He nodded, "Of course."

You looked inside your aunt's room again, and your eyes watered at the mere sight. It was a plain room, but on the walls were pictures of you and her, as well as she and your mother. When did she put these up?

It was remarkable. She never liked to wear her heart on her sleeve, but she'd been doing it all along. In the right corner was a showcase of her armor. This whole house was like a museum, really.

"She wore that the day we met." You turned to face Gladio. "She completely turned her back against the empire and took an immigrant from Tenebrae under her wing."

You smiled, "I can't take it to Niflheim when I leave, so I think it's best that I-"

"Give it to me." Gladio interrupted you. "I'll hold onto it for you. For when you return." He nodded.

The look he gave you was so serious. It was like he was putting it on his honor that he'd take care of it.

"Thank you. It means a lot."

Before you could continue, you heard a knock at your front door. Who the hell could it be? The only people that would ever come here knew NOT to come here. Maybe one of them figured you could use a hand?

"One second!" You blinked away the lingering tears in your eyes. This was going to be a long night.

"I told you I had it." You walked toward the door. "I just need a little time fir-"

You stopped as you opened the door and saw two crownsguard before you.

"Yes?" You frowned.

The one on the left spoke, "The king has requested to see you."

By request they really meant demand. There was no way he was going to get denied.

"Right now?" You questioned.

"Come along. We needn't waste time." The guard on the right rushed you.

"Gladio. Um. I have to go so…" You looked back at him as he stood in the hallway. "Maybe you could lock up for me?"

He shook his head, "Don't worry. I'll be here when you get back."

You nodded, though it was a bit unsettling. You just hoped he knew not to touch anything. If he did you might just freak out on him again.

What could the king wan- ah! Of course. There was only one reason. He must have found you a messenger! This was one thing you could finally cross off your stress list.

You'd address the problem of your house later, and as for the problem that was Gladio, you'd call it a wash. After that long conversation you figured it was best that you just didn't talk about it anymore.

The hurt feelings were too exhausting to think about. For now you had to meet your messenger, and they had some big shoes to fill.


	32. The King's Word

**Citadel : 6:24pm : 53 Days**

There you stood again; before the king. Each time you came it got less and less nerve wracking. Still this was your king, so you were far from eased.

"Your messenger has been found." Regis spoke. "He is one of my most trusted allies and although I may not see it fit, he has assured me this role should go to none other."

You knelt before the man, "Your highness. May I meet this man?" Your head tilted up as you looked at him once again.

"Soon; within the next few days when he returns." He nodded, "He will not only be your messenger, I would like for him to gauge your strength before you set off. I do not doubt your training, however I would like you to be examined by a person of my own legion.

"I..." You paused as you were still confused. What was the point of him calling you here just to say you'd be meeting the messenger in due time?

Sometimes you wondered what the hell was up with this place and why they dealt with things the way they did.

"You're having reservations?" Regis peered down at you with an eyebrow slightly risen.

You could feel a cold sweat coming on, and a slight nauseous feeling in the pit of your stomach. You wanted to question the king but you physically couldn't.

"No." You shook your head; messy strands flailing as you did. "I look forward to our meeting is all." You nodded. "Thank you, your highness."

Bowing to the man once more, you gracefully lifted up and made your leave. At least this was one less thing you had to worry about. You'd be meeting in a few days? Interesting. You were ready to pick up your bow again to be honest. It'd been long enough.

The two guards that had come to your house now approached you once again. "Are you ready to be escorted home?"

You shook your head, "Not home."

Gladio was at your house, and you'd feel bad for making him wait, but you needed just a short intervention before you returned. Hell, if you took too long he could just lock up. In the back of your mind it did worry you that he'd rummage through your things.

Push it back. For now you needed a breath of fresh air.

.

 **Apartment : 8:12pm : 53 days**

"So that's it?" Noctis spoke from the comfy chair beside the couch; popping more Skittles into his mouth.

You lay on the couch in his living room looking up at the ceiling. In each crack you recalled your time back in Tenebrae. Every excruciating detail.

"Yup." You sighed between words. "We're over, but we're not done... if that makes sense.. friends."

As that thought exited your mind, a new one popped up. From the conversation you had it would seem like quite the non sequitur, but it wasn't. It'd been on your mind for a while.

"She was gorgeous Noctis; Luna." Your innocent eyes remained upwards.

You could hear the prince edge off his seat at her mention however. It was like you could hear a pin drop and all of your senses were heightened. Deeply inhaling the aroma of the sweet sugar cookies in the oven, you continued.

"Not just physical appearance. It was her very being. When she took my hands I felt almost weightless, and my only reaction was to cry. I've never felt like that before" You smiled unintentionally as you reminisced.

"Remember when we first met? You told me that you felt like you knew me your whole life and I said the same? It was the same with Luna but..." You sat up and looked at the boy.

"Something still troubles me. Ravus." You broke eye contact with the prince, "I was dumbfounded by him and I don't know why. It scares me. I didn't want to attack, and it had nothing to do with his relation or strength."

You found yourself questioning that interaction. Maybe he felt the same? But maybe his reason for not attacking was because he believed you to be weak and not worth the energy.

Noctis didn't know how to reply. It'd been many years since he'd seen Ravus, and he wasn't sure how the man felt about him after all this time... how he felt about Insomnia.

"I didn't tell your dad, uh-the king about having met them both. It wasn't really an important detail."

Wasn't like you were trying to hide it from the king. You only slightly knew his relationship with the Fleuret's. The quicker you could breeze through that story the better, and it's what you did. Hell, if the king wanted to know then you'd tell him.

"I'm glad you're home squirt." Noctis finally broke the silence. "I know I keep saying that, but I am. When Luna sent me your necklace I was pretty scared. Even though we had settled on a conclusion I still wasn't satisfied until I saw you last week."

You rose from the couch and shuffled over to the prince. You wrapped your arms around his head and pulled him close to your chest.

"Say it! Say you love me!" You squeezed tighter.

"I'd love it if you took the cookies out of the oven." He pried your arms off of him.

"Oh shit!" You ran over to the oven; grabbing the cute kitty mitt along the way.

"I see you're still wearing that bangle." The black haired boy rose from his seat and moseyed over to the counter.

He was of course talking about the rose gold bangle you had gotten for Christmas. He wasn't gonna start with this funny business now was he?

"Yeah, what are you getting at?" You rose an eyebrow, placing the baking sheet of cookies on the stove.

"I didn't mean it like that." He lowered his lids as he looked at you. "I just mean you didn't lose it."

You shook your head, "I didn't bring it. I only brought things I felt okay with potentially losing. The necklace not included. Felt like I sat there for hours trying to take it off, but I couldn't. So... it came with me."

You took the sprinkles and food decorations out of his cabinets. Decorating cookies with your best friend would definitely take the edge off so to speak.

"Aren't you supposed to get back to your house soon or are you just going to leave Gladio overnight?"

You gave a heavy eye roll. "Oh please. You really think Gladio would stay that long?"

"We are talking about the guy who thought it'd make you feel better if he blew you off right?" Noct sarcastically chuckled.

Throwing light punch to his shoulder, you smirked, "Shush you!"

He did have a point though. All you could do is hope Gladio remained a good boy and didn't touch anything.

You picked up the piping bag with pink icing and began to decorate. You smiled as you did. There was something so soothing about it. You backed away and looked at it. A heart with sprinkled jimmies. Cute for the first decoration.

You snapped your fingers, "Ooh! You know what would look cool?"

Excitedly you grabbed a gel pen and began to squeeze it. Of course the damn thing wasn't budging. Being a total genius, you pointed it at yourself and it splattered right on you.

The prince pounded his hand on the counter as he laughed at you, "Wow! You're like a cartoon squirt! You've got such bad luck!"

You found nothing funny about this at all. You grabbed the piping bag and put just a tiny amount in your hand before smearing it on his face.

Now it was your time to revel in his displeasure. "Who's laughing now?!"

He wouldn't just leave it be. He had to get in the last shot. Grabbing what you could, you both were ready for an all out war. You threw sprinkles, icing, and gel at one another; laughing each step of the way.

This kitchen was becoming quite the mess, as were the two of you. It was like a food war of two. Both of you looked like a total disaster, but it was moments like these that you enjoyed the most.

You huffed as you looked at the boy. There was marshmallow spread in one hand and gold flakes in the other. You placed the items slowly on the counter.

"Truce? Please, let's call a truce." You pleaded.

Noct set down the blue piping bag and nodded, "Truce."

You looked at your clothes and sighed, "Damn I need a bath... hmm, why don't we shower up and then we'll clean up the kitchen after?"

The prince nodded in agreement, "Ugh, it's all in my hair. Alright squirt, see you in a few."

You walked to the guest room, better known as your room. You knelt before the dresser and pulled out a pair of pink shorts and a white shirt. You dug deeper to find some sort of underwear, but it seemed like you might have to go commando.

"Aha!" You found a pair of grey panties.

You'd make this quick. You didn't want to be in here too long, but you did need to clean out every last sprinkle.

You tossed your dirty clothes into the hamper and hastily you jumped into the shower; turning the knob.

The water was near scorching but it felt so nice. You watched as the mixed colors streamed down your leg and into the drain. Felt good to get this off of you. Not just the mess, but you washed away your hurt feelings as well.

Everything that could have hurt you while you were back here went down that drain. You'd enjoy these final weeks, and let nothing give you pause.

It was a quick shower, so you were out fast. You snagged the fluffy gray towel off the rack and stepped out. You wanted to hurry and clean his kitchen so you could get back home.

You finished drying yourself off and threw the towel the hamper as well. As you walked past the mirror you took this time to look at yourself. Really look. It'd been a while since you truly looked at your own reflection. In Altissia you probably could count on one hand how many times you looked at your own reflection.

Scars along your arms. They weren't too bad, and lucky for you there weren't too many. The worst one was the scar on your shoulder. It was hideous and you probably should have seen a doctor about it. You just settled for your own needle and thread however. Couldn't risk blowing your cover.

That was enough for now. Your eyes followed your reflection as you walked out of the bathroom.

You inhaled deeply, but your exhale came up short as the room door opened. Why? Why didn't you say anything? Speak you idiot!

The door opened, and you stood there stark naked as you watched the one and only Ignis Scientia walk in with a stack of towels.

His eyes traveled upwards, and you didn't even attempt to hide yourself. It all happened so fast. You must've looked like a deer in headlights with your arms tensely at your side, and your eyes widened.

He was taken aback by the sight of you. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't seen anything. You were right there after all; fully exposed. Of course being ever the gentleman he would probably deny it later.

He swiftly backed out the door, "I-I'm so sorry."

You could feel the everlasting heat rise to those cheeks of yours. It was so hot in here, and it wasn't because of the shower. The best thing to do was not make it awkward.

You wasted no time putting your clothes on again. Damn, you couldn't just walk back out there with this wafty white shirt and no bra. You had to have left ONE here right?

Bingo! Just a little deep, and you found a sports bra. It would have to do. Felt like you stood in front of the door for an eternity, but really it was just short of a minute. Don't be weird about it!

You put on your brave face as you walked out and saw Ignis cleaning up the kitchen. You felt a little bad that he was cleaning your mess.

"Hey!" You waved to the man, "What are you doing here?"

He turned to you with a face more crimson than you'd ever seen it. "I- I want to-"

"Cook?" You cut him off before he could apologize. "Ya know, you're too good to him."

Your heart raced from the adrenaline of you catching his words. Please shut the hell up Ignis! It doesn't need to be talked about. There was only one man in existence you exposed yourself to, and that was Gladio. Showing off your body wasn't something you were used to.

A soft smile adorned your face, "You helm the stove and I will clean the mess I made, okay?"

The man cleared his throat, "What happened in here?"

"Noct and I... we couldn't settle on a cookie design." You chuckled. "Kinda got outta hand I suppose."

You saw the stack of towels Ignis was carrying on the counter. He was probably going to put them in the bathroom considering how low the stack was in there. How did he not hear the shower running? How did you not hear him enter the apartment?

"Gonna put these in the bathroom." You picked up the towels as you continued to walk on eggshells.

You simply placed them into the closet. You couldn't stop thinking about what just transpired. This was weird. You even haven't showed Prompto the tattoo because of your fear of stripping. Didn't hurt to show Noct because he was friends with you for so long.

The depth of friendship you had with Ignis far outweighed the time you'd known him. That being said, you still didn't want him to see your damn tits glistening with the droplets of a hot shower!

You walked back out and Noct was still in his room. Dammit! Of all times for him to take forever.

Grabbing the broom Ignis took out from the pantry, you began to sweep the floor. There was luckily only sprinkles down there. No icing.

Your eyes danced between the floor and Ignis. "So I talked to Gladio finally. I know you said we should. We decided on a happy medium."

His smile was light; not even there almost. He was happy that the two of you had settled your differences. Not just for you but for the sake of the group as well. The two of you were blind to it, but your relationship really was affecting everyone.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that." He nodded as he took a bowl from the cabinet.

You weren't sure what he was getting ready to make, but considering all of the spices at his side; it was gonna be something good!

"We... decided to go our separate ways." There was a smile on your face, but it wasn't representative of any joy. In fact you felt quite sad saying it aloud. Sad, but relieved.

You stopped sweeping for a moment and lightened your grip on the broom as you pressed your weight against it.

"It sort of sucks but at least there's friendship, right?" You looked down, and as you did you felt the wetness from your hair roll down your back. "I know that his goal was to get me to love again, but I just don't know if I'm willing to open myself up like that anymore. The high was really nice, but the withdraw.. I wasn't prepared for it."

You spoke about love like it was some kind of drug. To you, it sort of was. The good times were amazing, but the bad times made you spiral into some sort of depression. These were conversations you normally had with Noctis or Prompto, but you told Ignis this stuff as well. He often gave good advice about it.

The love you felt with Gladio… the love that you continue to feel… it's incomparable. Short in time, but potent in strength. If you could turn back the hands of time, you might have just avoided him altogether. He wasn't a bad person; far from it. But you did question if this feeling now was worth the love you felt before.

Realizing you were bringing the mood down a notch, you put on a wide grin. "Besides! I'm probably going to spend the rest of my life in Niflheim anyway. Who the hell would I fall in love with there?"

You laughed nervously, though your question reigned true. Why would he try to free you of these feelings when there was no one you could ever possibly set your mind to love over there. Still not having met any of them, that was a line that you knew you'd not only stray far away from, but a line that probably didn't exist in the first place.

"You won't." The blond man stopped adding spices to his bowl and set his eyes on you. "Niflheim will not be your final resting place; I assure you."

"Why?" You now rested your cheek against the handle of the broom. "I learned a lot while I was out in Tenebrae, but the biggest lesson was that things won't go your way just because you want them to. It may be your story, but sometimes you have no say in which way it goes. I've accepted the fact that I may never see Insomnia or any of you guys again."

"Don't say that." Noctis finally exited his room with a fresh pair of clothes on. "You always were a pessimist." He teased just slightly to lighten the mood.

You rolled your eyes, "I prefer to call it realist."

Shifting away from the broom, you picked it up and tossed it to the boy, "Your turn."

Your attention now directed to the half cracked blinds before the sliding glass balcony door. The sun was getting pretty low, and you really didn't want to leave Gladio at your house by himself. Plus you needed to clean your house.

"I should probably get going." You sighed. "Gotta pack up the rest of my house. It will be officially sold the day before I'm gone, but I just want to get it out of the way now, you know?"

"Wait." Ignis stopped you with a chaotic neutrality in his voice, "You won't stay for dinner?

You shook your head, "No. This needs to be taken care of."

"Maybe you need a hand?" Noctis leaned on the broom as he had no intention of cleaning at all.

"I couldn't ask for that. I mean, it'll take hours. I'll be up cleaning that house well into tomorrow afternoon."

"Why don't you sleep over and then tomorrow we'll clean it... all of us." Noct grinned "Besides, you're not done cleaning this kitchen."

A cheeky remark, and one that wasn't meant to be taken seriously. He was just trying to get you to stay. Funny how he offered up everyone else's services too.

"All?" You placed a hand on your hip.

The prince nodded, "Yeah. You, me, Gladio's already over there, Prompto is too nosy to say no, and..." He paused, "Ignis... won't say no."

"Uh! What?" You rolled your eyes, "Don't say it like that. Ignis says no to me! Right Iggy?"

Well now you put him in quite a spot. If he said yes he'd just prove Noct right. If he said no then he'd be lying. You all knew that. His best option in this case was to remain silent. Hard to tell if it was because of this question or the incident earlier. He hasn't made extended eye contact since.

You huffed, "Anyway... 10 hands are much better than 4, but… there are some things in that house I need to take care of on my own. I hope you understand. I need to get back now."

Part of your reason for leaving was because you didn't want to clean. Part of it was also because you couldn't bear to look Ignis in the eyes. The biggest reason was that you'd feel guilty for having left Gladio; even if you called.

"What about Gladio?" Noctis spoke offended-like.

"Gonna kick him out too. He's just gonna help me with the bulk of it. I can't even believe YOU of all people offered to help me clean. So out of character."

He sucked his teeth, "I didn't really mean it. I was just gonna watch everyone else clean." The prince smirked.

"Have a good night Noctis." You turned before you left. "You too Iggy! And always remember to knock first." You chuckled as you just HAD to add that last part.

Not that it made things easier on you, but at least by slightly addressing it in a silly way it could be less awkward later.

"Hey." You stopped one last time before you left. "Don't forget about that beach trip you promised me Noct."

You were of course referring to the voicemail. "Figure out when you wanna go, but it better be soon. I don't have much time ya know."

.

 **Home : 10:06pm : 53 days**

You opened the door to your home and sure enough there was Gladio sitting on your couch.

"Damn. They kept you that long huh?" The man rose from his seat a bit. "Why did you change clothes?"

"No, I uh.. I stopped at Noct's for a bit. Took a shower there. Sorry about that." You plopped down next to the man and looked blankly at the television. "My messenger; he's been found. Still didn't meet him yet. Guess he's busy or something. I dunno."

You settled in and sank into the couch a bit. A few minutes of silence passed as the two of you sat.

Finally you turned so that your gaze met his. "So then.. while I was gone... what did you find?"

He grinned like a child trying to sneak. Of course he found something. There was nothing in here anymore that you felt your friends couldn't see. There were things you wished they WOULDN'T see, but not too bad.

"Just tell me." You lightly punched the man's arm as he withheld the info behind that cheeky grin. "What did you find Gladiolus?!"

Now you were running a mental checklist. What could possibly be embarrassing in here? Lingerie, no. Old pictures, no. Stuffed animals, no. What the hell was he so giddy about, especially at a time like this?!

"Close your eyes and I'll show you." His grin widened even more.

"That doesn't even make sense, but you know what, I'll play along; hell." You crossed your arms with your eyelids shut.

The man beside you cleared his throat. Oh boy. He wasn't going to kiss you, right? This was totally not the time for that. You don't even know how you'd feel if that happened. Maybe something, maybe nothing. You just hoped that this was not where things were headed. Your relationship with him had JUST got back on the right track; as friends!

"His eyes like two burning embers hiding a soul that only those brave enough to look in can see. The power of his gaze is petrifying. It is as if being physically chained down by psychological weights. Terrifying, but alluring all at the same tim -"

"STOP!" You opened your eyes and snatched the paper from the man. "What the hell are you doing reading my shit?!"

He couldn't stop himself from laughing. This was straight up comedy. "Who the hell were you writing about? Was it me?"

"It wasn't about you! Why would you think this was about you?!" You huffed, "It wasn't about anyone! Damn you're nosy! I wrote this a long time ago! It doesn't even matter."

"Was it about Ignis?" He continued to laugh.

"I told you. It wasn't about anybody." You looked down. You had the face of a liar, but lying you were not. "It's stupid okay. Just drop it. I don't wanna talk about it. It's not about you or Ignis or Noctis or Prompto or anyone we even know, so there's no sense in dwelling on it."

"So defensive." He rose both eyebrows at you.

"Yeah, because you were just supposed to sit here and be a good boy and shut the fuck up and watch tv but you just couldn't." Yes, the heat was rising to your cheeks; partly from embarrassment, and partly from you being upset.

"I'm sorry, okay?" He handed you the paper, "I don't want you to be mad. I just thought it was nice to see your sentiment on paper."

You crumbled the paper and tossed it, "There's nothing sentimental about it. It's just words Gladiolus; nothing else."

You making a fuss like that didn't really help your case, but shit, you were just a little upset! Reminded you though; it would probably be best to hide those other letters addressed to no one. Those could be deciphered easily, and although it wasn't as embarrassing, you still didn't want them to see.

"So did they tell you who your messenger was gonna be?" He spoke again after a few minutes of sitting in silence.

"Nah. They're still giving me the run around. Probably gonna meet him in the next few days though. He's supposed to 'assess' me." You put up air quotes.

The large man stood up now; cracking his knuckles. "Well we better start cleaning this house then."

You agreed conditionally, "Yes, but I just have one request. When we get to the other room… I'd like to do that by myself please. I've never actually been in there before, but I know that it holds my mother's old things."

He wouldn't argue on that, "Of course. For now though, let's get the bulk of this done or we'll be here forever."

The way you felt now was, well, quite the same as before you left, only a bit more relieved. You had a messenger, and you couldn't wait to meet him.

You wondered who he was however, and what kind of personality he had. The way the king made it sound was as if he offered his services without hesitance. Why? This was a job that should and would scare off the average crownsguard. Hmmm…

Was best not to think of it and finish up with this house. Regis said the two of you would meet in the next few days. It would be a good idea to get in a little training before that.


	33. The Assessment

**Home : 3:45pm : 47 days**

It'd been a few days since you cleaned your house. Where you were now was in the middle of your empty living room.

You had given everything you didn't want to lose to Gladio and donated everything else. You kept your clothes and only a few possessions to keep you comfortable through these next few weeks.

There was still that last room you hadn't entered. There was enough time that you could postpone it, but sooner than later was the best idea.

"You excited for the weekend?" You spoke to Prompto as he lay alongside you.

The two of you were snuggled together on the cold wooden floor. His arms wrapped around you; it was always comforting, this feeling.

"Hell yeah! Beach breeze, good food, good company, and cuties as far as the eye can see." He subconsciously squeezed you a bit tighter as you two spoke.

The plans were in motion. You and the boys would head to the beach this weekend for some much needed rest and relaxation. You all hadn't hung out together since before you left to Altissia.

"Always looking at the ladies aren't you?" You sighed with a wide grin.

"Well, you know." He shrugged, "Don't worry, I'll be looking at you too."

You nestled more under the boys chin, "Mhmm. Only to see that tattoo on my ass. In fact. I may not be able to show you this again so I might as well do it now."

Prompto stiffened up, "Wait! You're gonna show me?!"

You pulled out of his grasp and stood up. "Forgive me for not doing a strip tease." You joked.

Your hands unbuttoned your shorts, and you began to pull down your blue jeans. "This is weird." You pouted.

"If I was gonna make a move, wouldn't I have done it already?" Prompto expressed.

Still gripping your shorts, you frowned, "This is why people at school think so poorly of me! All my friends have seen me naked!"

The blond shook his head, "Who cares what they sa- Wait a minute. You said all your friends? When did Noct? Iggy?"

Right, you always did have that perpetual foot in mouth syndrome. Why did you even tell him that? His little mind was probably racing now.

"Noct- I showed him, and Ignis... that was an accident." You spoke casually.

"You showed Noct but not me? Not gonna lie, that hurts." He pretentiously clutched his heart.

"Do you wanna see The Great Anak's great ass tattoo or what?" You began to lose patience and the courage to show him.

Still, you'd keep your word and show the boy. You pulled down one side of your shorts and showed him the permanent ink. It was enough to get a good glance, but you wouldn't keep your ass on display for too long.

It was weird. He didn't say anything. Was he upset because you got it in backwards lettering? It was still his name! What was he being so petty for?!

You turned back to look at the boy and he stood with tears in his eyes. That was unexpected. His sad face always made you sad too. Dammit!

The blond pulled you into a hug, "I'll be with you always."

You held him tightly; releasing your grip on your shorts. "I love you so much. I know you will."

The two of you stood in the embrace for probably much longer than you thought. An eternity wasn't long enough for an embrace like that. Something you'd surly miss when you were gone.

Finally you zipped up and buttoned your shorts again. The look on Prompto's face had shifted once more. Kind of sinister as it was. What the hell was this?

"What do you have to say Prompto? Spit it out." You tapped your foot.

"You said that Iggy seeing you naked was a mistake. Does that mean you guys-"

"No!" You rolled your eyes so hard. "We didn't do anything like that! He just walked in on me after a shower! You swear there's a thick sexual tension between us and there's not!"

The boy shrugged, "I dunno. I mean..."

"Stop! I'm serious!" You pulled the boy into a headlock. "I'm already having a tough time as it is still getting over this stupid breakup okay?!"

Prompto pulled out of your grasp, "Yeah I get being in love and heartbroken and stuff, but you can't close yourself off forever. It's not good for you."

You placed your hands on your hips and sighed, "You're probably right, but I'm not dating in THIS group again. Fuck that. Besides, isn't there a rule against dating in the same group?"

The blond smirked, "You say that like you've given it thought."

"Oh hell no! I don't wanna date in this group anymore; you hear me?" You growled, "Even if by some miracle I came back from Niflheim. That bridge is burned. Ignis, Gladio... no."

"What you said to Gladio... you said you'd chase him didn't you? Even if you came back and he was taken. You weren't telling the truth?"

You looked down at your feet... "I-"

Saved by the bell you were, and you were quick to answer it. Things were much more fun when you didn't have to worry about dating, relationships, and a love triangle you were trying to pretend didn't exist.

The same crownsguards once again. They seemed urgent as last time, but slightly more at ease.

"Let me guess; the king is requesting me again?" You placed your hands at your hips.

"Not the king." The man on the left spoke. "Your messenger."

It seemed as though your breath shortened and your palms got sweaty all in that one instance. This was it. The person that would be your sole lifeline to Insomnia.

"Where? They're here? They want to meet right now? Um, okay but can I get changed first?"

"No. His time is too valuable." The man rolled his eyes.

"Prompto!" You looked back.

He nodded, "I know. Lock up and take Benedict with me." The boy smiled with a thumb up.

"This is why you're my husband and I love you!" You blew a kiss to the boy.

The formally silent crownsguard spoke, "I wasn't aware you were married. Does the king kno-"

"I was just kidding. Goodness you guys need to lighten up. I'm not married." You glared at the men as you were escorted into the back of the car.

As soon as the door opened you were met with the sharp eyes of your messenger. He was so intimidating, but at the same time, you could tell he wanted the best for you.

He spoke, "You must be the champion." The man extended his hand, "Cor Leonis."

You shook his callused hand, and his grip was so firm. "I, uh, yes. I'm the champion. Er, the champion is me. Of Niflheim. The Champion of Niflheim; I'm that one; yes. I am. Nice to meet you sir. Um, sorry I'm meeting you for the first time in booty shorts. They wouldn't let me change. I wanted to put on slacks or something. Maybe even just my black jeans. Well I guess the color wouldn't really matter now would it? But I just- I'm talking a lot. Sorry."

The man sighed, "Are you going to get in the car?"

"Yes!" You nodded with nervous laughter; finally releasing his hand. "I am going to do exactly that!"

This was totally embarrassing. Your word vomit was usually never this bad. You didn't even buckle this horribly in front of Regis, so why the messenger? Guess because he was a man that you wanted to get a little close to. He could set your heart at ease by telling you about the ongoings of Insomnia. Not that you wanted to be his best friend, but at least get close enough so he'd tell you things like that.

So far you needed to remove that foot 10 inches deep in your throat and actually get to know the man.

"I hope you know that I will go as hard on you as I would anyone else." He kept his focus straight.

"Harder." You cut your eyes at him. "Don't push me to what you think my limit is. Push me to your limit."

Oh so NOW you want to be a wordsmith? Honestly you were slightly impressed at your own response. No stumbling.

"I will do what I see fit." He turned to you with his intimidating eyes. "Do you have an issue with that?"

You could just feel the presence of your aunt in this man. Strict and to the point. Almost scary the way he mirrored her. Luckily you were used to this type of personality, so it didn't intimidate you.

"Lets see what you got then. Are we going to assess right now?"

He nodded, "Just sit back. Relax, okay?"

You took a deep breath and heeded his words. Clearly he could sense that you were on edge. The two of you sat in silence for a long while.

You just looked out the window thinking about everything... again. Thinking about how lucky you were that your doorbell prevented you from addressing all of your genuinely repressed feelings. There wasn't that many days. You could avoid talking about it in that time.

"Mr. Leonis. Um, Cor. I just wanted to thank you for stepping up to become my messenger. I know that once I leave I'll only talk to you every so often, but I'd like for us to build a trusting relationship. You will be the one who holds the life line of my sanity."

It sounded a lot deeper once you spoke it into existence. "What I mean is.. I just want this to go right. Push me as hard as you see fit; yes, but please by no means hold back."

He nodded as he listed to your words. You could tell that he understood you, but he wasn't a man that was very keen on sensitive stuff. Didn't mean he wouldn't have to tolerate your emotional rants.

.

 **Citadel : 5:23pm : 47 days**

You stood in what looked like a training room. It was huge! It was about as spacious as the room you were used to.

You had your bow drawn, and a grapple clipped at your side; courtesy of the king. They had an array of weapons to choose from, but this was your preference.

You wore the same clothes you arrived in. only difference was you had some armguards and leg guards for protection.

Cor spoke first, "The wooden katana I have. Treat it as a real one. If I strike any part of you that isn't covered in armor then this assessment is over."

Damn, so it was like that? Guess that made sense. If you got struck with a real katana then you wouldn't be able to fight. So... does that mean the point of this assessment is for you to beat literally one of the most elite fighters in Lucis? This expectation was through the roof! What was the consequence of losing? Come hell or high water you were going to Niflheim. Didn't matter what the king said.

"Ready when you are." You nodded to the man standing across from you. "But... are you sure about fighting me? When one of these arrows hits, it's not as simple as pulling it out. These do some serious damage. Plastic or not. My draw weight is pretty heavy."

Cor gripped the sword at his side, "Don't you go holding back now."

You smirked, "Wouldn't dream of it."

When was the last time you sparred? Well, there was that playful spar with Gladio in his backyard, but that didn't count. Come to think of it, your aunt always just watched you train. She never did face you as much as she should have. You thought of her words to you, however. You were a girl who was over prepared, and by the time you had to draw your weapon against someone, it should be cake. Time to see if she was correct.

The man watched your movements. Clearly for this fight he wanted to be more on the defense. Wanted to see exactly what you had. Going full offense was not your style but guess you could adjust just this once.

You couldn't get too close to him. Your power with the bow lied in distance. No matter what, you had to stay back.

Pulling back the string on your bow, you targeted the man and paced around. "We can't stay like this forever you know? You'll have to come over here. Or would you rather me take the shot?"

The man grew slightly irritated, "I'm here to assess your ability. This is not a dialogue."

You shrugged, "Have it your way. I'll try my best not to go for a killshot."

You drew back just a bit further and aimed at the man. Instead of releasing at the spot he was, you shot in the direction you predicted him to move.

The man hastily unsheathed his wooden katana and broke your arrow right down the middle. It was plastic for training purposes as you stated. That way if an arrow did land it wouldn't be fatal. It kind of scared you; his brute force. Although the arrow was plastic, it shouldn't have been broken that easily; much less by a wooden katana.

The man noticed your surprised face and shook his head, "Surly you didn't think I'd be this close to the king if an archer could take me down in one shot?"

"Surly you didn't think that was my best shot? I'm assessing you too Mr. Leonis."

Where were you coming up with these words? It was like you were speaking without even thinking first. Not totally unlike you, but considering you were a babbling fool when you first met him a few hours ago, it was a little strange.

You went to grab another arrow, and as you did he went in. Just that small opening was more than enough. He'd close the distance between the two of you in what felt like little to no time. You felt yourself panic just a bit. He was quick but you had to be quicker.

Cor once again unsheathed the katana and went for an underhanded strike. You instinctively took a step back and blocked the attack with your forearm. Even with the guards that still hurt like a bitch. This man was powerful!

You'd kick him back from his sternum while in the stand still; more so to give you distance than hurt him. You couldn't go for another arrow; not yet. It was too risky, and this time he was much closer, so if he did decide to strike you it would land.

Instead you went with another tactic. "Don't think you've got me on the ropes Mr. Leonis. This is child's play." You grinned.

He'd only known you for the past few hours, yet he was now starting to become immune to your witty responses. Not everything you said garnered a reaction out of him.

You'd sling the bow over your shoulder and reach for your grapple gun. You'd unhook it as you kept your eyes on him. None of these actions required both of your hands to get tied up., and perhaps that's why he didn't go for the strike. That, or he was curious to see what move you were going to make. Quickly you shot the gun to the opposite side of the room.

Your training kicked in as you hooked the gun back and rode it out. Nabbing two arrows, you'd keep one in hand, and place the other in your mouth. This way you wouldn't have to reach for another if the time came. Before you reached the wall on the other side, you kept your legs bent for a gentle landing. Lowering yourself once more, you were set back on your feet with your bow drawn again.

You could see a slight raise in his eyebrow; like he was impressed with you. If there was one thing you needed to get credit for, it was being crafty. Yes, even in situations that seem helpless, you generally knew how to wiggle your way out... except with the Gold Queen, but you also didn't have your coup de grace sword back then. Not that it was much of a resource now.

Cor was ready for your shot again, and you knew as soon as you released he would charge at you. He predicted that you would shoot where you thought he would be, but maybe he didn't expect you to shoot head on. It was a risky move, but you had another arrow just in case this failed.

You smirked before drawing back to the bow's maximum. Just as you were going to release, the Immortal charged at you once again. You felt like a deer in headlights. That was not expected at all!

At the last minute, the man veered to your left and came to strike your side. It was all going so fast, and your only thought was to fall into a back roll. Your teeth grit the arrow in your mouth as you did, and you could feel the strong gust of wind left by his katana; as well as the sound of sliced air that was almost you.

Still being close in range, you countered with a sweep kick. Cor of course just missed the trip and came at you again. This time with you being on the ground you were at a disadvantage. You'd need to get to your feet quickly, but he was already coming with the downward strike.

You rolled on your side, just barely missing the strike. While he was recovering from the failed strike, you scrambled to your feet. You pulled back once again at your bowstring and fired at the man. His katana wouldn't be fast enough to block it as you two were so close in range. Instead he blocked the arrow with his hand; sort of swatting it out of the air and you didn't even think that was possible! He did it like it was some sort of afterthought.

"Shit!" You yelled after pulling the remaining arrow from your mouth.

You had one last shot. Yes there were other arrows, but you could tell that from now on he'd keep up this pressure. New tactic! They say the best offense is a good defense, but in this case you'd fight fire with fire. If he was going to charge at you then you'd throw a flurry of attacks his way.

Running at the man, you kept your bow drawn. No this wasn't good for close range, but you wanted to bluff a little. You wanted to see how he would respond to aggression. At the last second, you'd lower your bow and tackle the man. Ah! Wasn't expecting that, was he?

To the ground the both of you went. You scrambled to get up again, but only to your knees. Keeping one knee pressed against his dominant arm, and the other on his sternum, you pointed the arrow right at him. Cor the Immortal was now on the receiving end of your brutalit- no! He wouldn't even let you think of getting the shot.

You had the man pinned for what seemed like the blink of an eye. With his freed hand he pulled away your bow and tossed it. The brunette pushed you away from him, and it was scary how easily he did so with that pinned arm.

Tumbling back, you had no time to process the now fractured pinky you just rolled on. Not a single grunt would come from you. The mental pain and insanity that your aunt put you through was much worse than a small fracture. You panted on your hand and knees; one arrow in your grasp. There was no way in hell he was going to let you retrieve that bow, so you'd have to make do with the arrows and the grapple.

The man placed his hand at the hilt of his sword. He too was sweaty and out of breath. You two were caught in an intense stare down. Any sudden movement would trigger you both to move in. The palm of your hand practically stuck to padded floor as it began to get clammy. It was interesting. Although you were tired, you were kind of having fun. He might not admit it, but you could tell Cor was too.

"Your finger." Cor pointed out; still in position on his feet.

"You trying to come up with an excuse to end it early Mr. Leonis? Don't try to make me your crutch. I could dance all night." You smiled.

The most minute smile adorned the mans face after hearing your words; almost non existent, "Good to hear." He nodded.

.

 **Citadel : 12:57am : 46 days**

Your bow was back in hand, but you were completely out of arrows. All of them were broken, and you didn't know what to do. Cor threw a lot of different things at you, and you were out of ideas. No arrows, and only a grapple gun in hand.

There was only one thing left to do. One thing that might just work, but there was a small percentage. If you could somehow put your bow to his neck, it would be over. Of course you wouldn't actually choke him out. But that would be an absolute submission.

Cor was back to being defensive again, and this was not going to be easy. If he was on the offense at least there would be a chance of him slipping up. No. Of course not. Maybe he knew what you were planning?

You huffed as you looked at the man. You were dog tired, and both of you refused to give up.

"Just because I don't have arrows doesn't mean my game is over. The distance game... I invented that one." You laughed breathily.

Pulling out your grapple gun, you'd aim it upwards. That was both unconventional and desperate. If you shot your grapple directly up, there was a chance it would either get stuck in the ceiling, or not pierce through. If it was the former, then the kingdom can sue you later.

Shooting the gun up, you ran toward the man. You were out of ideas, and now it just seemed like you were basing these tactics off of something you saw in a movie. You did try this one quite a bit though. Never thought you'd be able to use it in real life, but now was a better time than any.

Tugging at the line, you felt it stick and it wasn't coming out anytime soon. Allowing the gun to hoist you up just a bit, you used the speed and lift to carry you into the direction of Cor. You could see him unsheathing his katana, but it was too late. By the time he questioned what was going on, you already hand your legs around his neck.

"Sorry about this." You smirked as you threw your weight back and slammed him into the ground.

It would have hurt a lot worse if it weren't for his gear. Your smile grew as you grabbed your bow to place at his neck. You looked away for just a second, and when you did, that's when you felt the sharp pain in your abdomen.

Looking down, you saw Cor's katana right there, and the wind knocked right out of you.

"How could I... be so... reckless..." You tumbled onto the floor beside the man attempting to restore the air he took away.

You watched as the man beside you stood up once again and dusted himself off. It was like he wasn't hurt or tired for that matter. Like he wasn't phased by the hours of fighting the two of you just did.

"Need a hand." You offered you his hand with raised eyebrows.

You grunted as you stood up with his help. Your air just now returning to you. Guess it made sense why he wasn't too banged up. Try as you might, he took no shots from you. Not a single one.

"So, I failed then?" You looked away from the man and released a long sigh.

"What makes you say that?" He rose an eyebrow.

"Well for starters I got hit in an uncovered area. Also, you didn't go as hard as you could have."

It was a far cry to say that he went easy on you, but you noticed things that he let slide. Certain openings that a true enemy would have capitalized on.

He nodded, "My goal assessing you was to see your limit. It was not to break you or spring unrealistic expectations onto you. I switched up my tactics a lot through this fight. Every single time you were able to adjust, and bend to match my style... that being said, I am comfortable saying that you are ready to leave for Niflheim."

You couldn't hide that smile, no. You were over the moon! "So you don't think I need any training or anything? Any advice?"

Cor began to make his exit out of the training room as he spoke to you, "I don't. However if you feel like you need training and guidance I will put in a good word for you with Titus Dratous. He trains the Kingsglaives."

Maybe you would take on that training. Then again, maybe not. Cor didn't think you needed training, so maybe you didn't. On the other hand maybe this Titus guy could teach you a thing or two about fighting. Something that you'd been overlooking this whole time.

"S-so should we grab a coffee sometime? To get to know each other I mean. Well, it doesn't have to be coffee. It could be tea. Do you like tea? Maybe a pressed juice? Or if you're hungry we can just go to a cafe and eat. You could get soda. You don't seem like you like soda though. Not saying I'd judge you if you drank soda, because I totally wouldn't. I'm just saying a guy who works out a lot doesn't seem like he'd like soda. Unless it was sparkling water... but that's not soda. It's... I'm doing it again... sorry-"

The brunette stopped in the doorway; placing his hand on the archway. He remained with his back toward you, but his head turned so your eyes could meet.

"You asked if I had advice for you. I do have some actually."

"Mr. Leonis?" You asked coyly.

"Try to keep your words at a minimum." With that he was out the door.

"R-right! Okay! I will do that! Nope! Yup! Yes! Noted! I will cut down to only the uh, important… stuff…" You sighed after he left.

Maybe now it was best you just hit the showers. Clean up and go back home... or, to the hotel you were currently using as a residence.

It was a good thing you and the boys planned that beach trip. After all of the things you had to do in the past few days, and that room you still had to clean… a break was exactly what you needed.


	34. Beach Day

**Apartment : 10:54am : 43 days**

"I am so stoked!" You yelled out as you packed up what was left of your beach supplies into the trunk of Noctis' car.

This was the day you longed for. It was the perfect treat after a week of hard tests. You and the boys all deserved it.

You threw on your brown sunglasses and took on the front seat. You practically dared someone to challenge you on that. Again, there was no bad blood between you and Gladio, but you'd rather not think about all the cuddling you once did back there.

"This is going to be so much fun! Now say cheese!" Prompto spoke to you from the middle back seat.

You'd agree this time with no fight. Turning to face the camera, you smiled genuinely. It was a sweet picture, but if he wanted to see you at your happiest, he'd need to take a group picture.

Ignis manned the wheel and the other two squeezed in the back. With that you were all on the road! You were slightly jittery from excitement. You couldn't recall the last time you saw the beach... wait a minute..

"I've never been to the beach before!" You blurted out; Ignis nearly slamming the brakes from your sudden outburst.

"What?!" Prompto yelled almost appalled.

"Squirt yes you have. Remember you told me after your first time you had to take a 45 minute shower because there was so much sand everywhere?" Noctis leaned to the side of your seat.

"That wasn't the beach. That was a lake. Holy shit. I used to go there with my aunt. For some reason I swore it was the beach." You gasped. "No wonder we had to go through the mountains to get there.

"How do you mix up a lake and the beach?" Gladio asked completely serious.

"Seriously." Noctis added.

"It was a big lake!" You pouted. "They did beach stuff there too like play volleyball and barbecue... didn't have shops though... I was 9 like okay?!"

You crossed your arms and plopped back in your seat. It was a little more exciting now though. It would be your first time enjoying the beach.

"Didn't you just recently visit Altissia?" Ignis chimed in with his infinite knowledge and correctness.

Oh yeah! You did go to the beach at Galdin Quay, but that didn't count! Neither did Altissia! Dammit, couldn't Ignis just let you have this one?

"Well yeah but... it wasn't for leisure. I was there for... not even that long and I didn't get to enjoy it! Let me have this one Iggy!"

He glanced over and saw your infamous sad puppy face. You were a little sneak, and you knew he wasn't gonna shut you down when you looked like that. None of them would for that matter. Except-

"Nah, it totally counts squirt." Noctis shrugged. "Just because you didn't enjoy it doesn't mean you didn't go."

Looking back at the boy you shot him quite the dirty look, "Screw you Noct! I hope your hair messes up!"

He laughed at your snide remark, "I'm not even getting in so-"

"Oh that's what you think!" You chuckled as you attempted to ruffle his hair already.

Oh yeah. This was going to be a fun day!

.

 **Crystal Beach : 1: 26pm : 43 days**

Here you were on the sand just mere feet away from the edge of the world. The ocean spray cooled your skin and neutralized the harsh sun rays. The white sand was between your toes, and a smile was everlasting on your face.

All of your belongings were underneath the large beach canopy Gladiolus set up. Five chairs were underneath, as well as your individual items in each. There was a cooler, and a small grill to cook on. Not too far from where you set up was a fire pit for a bonfire. If you were here long enough you'd definitely utilize that.

You seemed to be the most eager as you stood there in the sun ready to dive right in. Prompto was the only other one who could match your excitement. Gladio was ready too, but not in the way you were. Ignis and Noct on the other hand sat right in their seats, and you would swear they were riveted to them.

"You boys ready?!" You were speaking of course to the ones actually willing to get in.

The other two didn't know it yet, but they would eventually get in too. You had your ways of getting what you wanted.

"Hell yeah!" Prompto stood beside you now shirtless and in his gradient blue trunks. "Race you to the water?"

"You are so on!" You smiled.

"You're getting in the water wearing that?" Noctis referred to the baggy floral swimsuit cover you had on.

Reaching for the hem, you pulled it up over your head revealing the swimwear that lay beneath. It was a colorful geometric high waist cut with a halter top. An absolute head turner, that's for sure. It wasn't too revealing, but there was enough shown in the back that a piece of the tattoo was revealed. The swimsuit was nice, but the way you carried yourself in it was truly the breathtaking part.

"Hold this for me will ya?" You tossed the cover at Noct's face; momentarily blinding the boy.

You drew a line in the sand with your foot. "Alright ready? Set?"

"Go!" Gladio shouted the last part as he took off toward the water.

"Hey not fair!" The freckled boy ran as quickly as he could.

"Yeah! You cheated!" You followed suit giggling as you ran; your laughter causing you to fall way behind.

Of course Gladio won. Even if he started a mile behind you two he would win. The guy was fast. Didn't matter though. You were here for a good time, and that's what you were having already.

There was no pause the moment your toes touched the water. It was chilly, but not ice cold; refreshing really. Wasn't as warm as it would be in the summer either, but still nice nonetheless. You jumped on Gladio's back and attempted to drag him in the water. Your free flowing strands dangling right above his eye line.

"You cheater! Help me Prompto!" You laughed as you tried to force the man down into the water.

The freckled boy all but helped as he attempted to jump on the man, but completely undershot leaving him to faceplant right into the ocean. Both you and Gladio laughed, however it was short lived as you found yourself being thrown into the water.

The salt water crashed onto your face, and the shock of its coolness brought a slight shiver to your body. Quickly you hopped back up with a shriek.

"Ahhhh! I'm gonna get you for that one!" You swiftly backed away and splashed water onto the man. "Prompt! Get his right side!"

The boy nodded and splashed the larger from a few feet of distance. This was the kind of fun you longed for. This was worth all of those sleepless nights and bloodied hands. You were enjoying yourself so much that you could cry... again. You wouldn't though. That would be a weird thing to explain.

"Try and catch us tough guy!" You stuck out your tongue as both you and Prompto ran down the shoreline laughing away.

"You really don't think I can catch you guys?" The man chuckled as he chased you both.

"Only one way to find out, huh?" The blonde replied in a snarky manner.

Back under the canopy sat Noctis and Ignis. The two were beating the heat in the shade and taking in the ocean breeze. They may not have been getting in, but that didn't mean they weren't having fun as well.

The prince had his phone in hand as he sat there playing King's Knight of course. It was much more fun in groups, but hell, he'd play alone. It was better than being in that brutal heat. The boy looked up again as he heard your distant laughs. It made him smile to see you enjoying yourself so much.

"She's really happy." The raven haired boy smirked before getting back to his game.

Ignis nodded without a word as he watched you three happily running on the shoreline.

Noct lowered his phone once more before looking at the man one chair down. "But you're not. Why?"

Taken off guard by his question, Ignis adjusted his glasses and turned his attention elsewhere. "Do I appear disconcerted?"

Ignis was not a man who got flustered easily. Even still he wasn't, but if ever there was a moment of him seeming... off, this was it. The prince saw it, and for that he'd let him off the hook a little bit.

"I get it. You're worried because she's not wearing sunscreen." Noct sat up a bit and yelled to you, "Hey squirt! Come here a sec!"

Right in the middle of your standoff with the big man and here comes the prince screaming at you.

"Okay pause! I'll be right back!" You walked away from the two and headed back to the canopy. "What's up?"

"Are you wearing sunscreen?" He rose an eyebrow, but his focus remained on his game.

You lowered your eyelids sarcastically, "Isn't that more of an Ignis question? And no, I'm not, but it's fine becau-"

"I have some if you'd like to use it." The blond man pulled a bottle out of his bag.

You took the can from the man, "Fine, if it'll make you happy. But since you called me over here Noctis you gotta get my back!"

The boy shrugged, "Ask Ignis to do it. I'm not getting my phone greasy."

Of course. Boy calls you over here for one thing and doesn't even help you out with it. What a little shit!

"Okay, whatever Noct-ass! I hope your phone dies!" You walked closer to the man's seat. "Do you mind Iggy?"

You removed the hair tie from your wrist and got your hair out of the way as best you could.

"Of course not." He scooted to the edge of his chair before getting up and taking the lotion as you passed it back.

You rubbed it into your arms and onto your chest. It wasn't until you felt the cold hands of Ignis that you were given pause. Why? It didn't matter what kind of day it was, the man's hands were forever going to be little ice chests. Didn't last too long as the friction from him rubbing the lotion in heated them up.

He was very thorough about it, and you could tell that there wouldn't be a spot uncovered on your back. It was nice. Kind of felt like a massage honestly. He lotioned you until he reached the hemline of your bikini bottoms. It was closer to your lower back, but not exactly. You finished up with putting lotion on your legs, and as you knelt down you saw Gladio and Prompto chatting up some ladies.

Seemed a little too friendly just by the body language. Was Gladio really hitting on other girls right in your presence? Technically it wasn't RIGHT in your presence, but close enough so you could see. Why did you feel so jealous? You didn't feel like you had the right to be, but maybe you did. It wasn't too long ago that you called it quits. It was long ago enough that other girls shouldn't bother you though, right?

"Shit." You spoke under your breath as the boys started walking them over.

You just had to play it cool and keep it classy. No problem, right? You took a seat next to Ignis and tried your best to look casual.

"Hey." Gladio spoke first. "These three girls got left behind by their friends. They need a ride home, okay?"

"Wow, really? That's dumb." You blurted out. "I mean, why waste a whole beach day when you can just spend it with us? It's way too early to call it a day if you ask me."

All eyes were on you as you spoke. Everyone was totally taken aback by your response. Not at all what they expected.

"What?" You shrugged, "I mean there's more than enough food and drinks. You want a drink girls?"

"Sure." They smiled.

Maybe you were completely overcompensating, but this was your only way of handling the situation or else you'd never make it through this monkey wrench. It did bother you, but shit, you hid it pretty well.

You stood up from your seat and opened the cooler. There were... no drinks. Just iced meat.

"What?" You dug around, "Where are the.. Gladio you brought the drinks didn't you?"

The man shook his head, "I brought the canopy and the chairs."

Prompto shrugged, "I brought the snacks."

Noctis sighed, "I brought the car."

Ignis frowned a bit; thinking, "I brought the other food, the grill, and the essentials."

You bit your bottom lip, "And I brought... myself... cool. Um, I guess I'll run to the store really quick and get us some drinks."

Ignis shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I will get them."

"Both of you go." Noctis took his attention from the phone screen momentarily to shoot you a glance. "More arms means more drinks you can carry."

"Selfish dick!" You stuck your tongue out at the boy. "Alright whatever, but I'm driving."

"Ignis, don't let her drive my car." The prince teased at the two of you walked away.

The blond spoke curiously, "Do you know how to drive?"

You nodded, "Hell yeah! How do you think I got back to Insomnia? Come on Iggy. Let me drive? Pleeeeease!"

After a short trek to the car, the two of you made it, and were ready to hit the road. The man tossed you the keys.

"You can drive to the store and I will drive on the way back. Fair?" He rose an eyebrow.

"Yes!" You excitedly hopped in the driver's seat.

You knew he would never let you put it in drive if you didn't check everything first. Mirrors, adjust the seat, seat belt. You were all good. It wasn't until you put both feet on each pedal that he questioned your true ability to drive.

"Wait." He stopped you just as you were getting ready to switch gears.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" You looked at him slightly paranoid.

"You have one foot on the brake and one foot on the gas." He spoke as though you should know what that meant.

"Okay?" You cocked your head.

"You're supposed to use one for both."

You took your hand off the gear shift and looked directly at the man, "Are you messing with me? YOU use one foot?"

He nodded, "Everyone uses one foot."

Unbuckling your seat belt, you opened the car door and stepped out, "Okay, show me how you do it, because I'm thoroughly convinced that you're fucking with me."

He unbuckled as well and went to your side. You remained standing on his side so you could see what the hell he was talking about.

"So when you drive you use this foot to press down the gas, and when you're ready to stop, you just put your foot on the brake."

You narrowed your eyes, "What? By the time I'm switching feet I'm already in an accident. If both of my feet are right there then I can just brake no hesitation."

The man chuckled, "It's really rather swift." He demonstrated once more, "You see?"

You reached your leg into the car and placed your foot over his, "Okay, show that one more time."

He did as you asked and switched between pedals. It just wasn't right. Maybe you could get used to it. For now it felt really weird though

"You know what… I'm just gonna let you man the wheel for now."

You entered the passenger side and buckled up. Your attention turned to outside where you could watch the background pass your eye line.

You were just happy to be away from Gladio and the new girls. Maybe it was because you two had built up such a great friendship over the past week he thought it would be okay. Maybe it was okay and you were just overreacting. Maybe he wasn't even interested in those girls, but you just jumped to conclusions because you knew his personality. You needed a second opinion.

"Ignis." You straightened up and turned toward the man. "Hypothetically if you were in a relationship but then you broke up on kinda bad terms and then made amends and became good friends again would you have the right to get jealous that your ex was hanging out with some random bitches- er people?" You blurted out all in one breath.

He knew you were talking about yourself, but the man would humor you. "I'd like to believe that I'm entitled to emote however I please. If the irrationality of the situation crossed my mind, I might have to rethink my outlook."

"So I'm being irrational?" You frowned.

"I thought this was about hypothetical me." He slightly teased.

"Oh yeah, no it is I just..." You plopped back into your seat, "Sometimes I think about how different life would be if I had the power to change just one thing. Just go back in time and play one scenario completely different."

The man pulled into a parking space close to the back of the supermarket. As you could guess it was totally packed on a weekend.

Ignis pulled the keys from the ignition and looked at you, "What would you change?"

You smirked, "If I tell you I'd have to kill you."

"Why is that?" He rose a suspicious eyebrow.

You placed your hand on the door handle and shook your head, "I like to pick and choose my rabbit holes Ignis. I'm not going to jump down this one."

Your words only heightened his suspicion. There were a number of things you could have been talking about. You were hoping he'd give it a rest, but this subject in particular seemed to pique his interest.

The two of you continued on into the store, and rather than going straight to the drinks, of course you had to mosey around and look at other snacks. Ignis was awfully quiet, and it was... different. You on the other hand practically skipped along as you walked down the vast isles. It was like junk food heaven.

Your hand reached out to grab a large bag of Doritos, but just before you could make contact, you stopped. It was then that you realized Ignis had stopped walking just a few feet before you did. You glanced over at the man and sighed.

"You know, it's not like you to pry this much. Are you really going to do this? That's very out of character for you Iggy." You smirked as you continued down the isle.

He didn't speak. He didn't know what to say. Somehow, he knew that whatever you were trying to hide either involved something self-destructive, or it involved him. You were right. He wasn't one to pry, and he wouldn't, but he had a way of making you talk all on your own.

"Iggyyyyyyyy." You whined. "Do you really want me to open up a can of worms? You know I have an endless supply of them. Let's just enjoy the beach today."

The man walked beside you, and spoke in a softer tone, "I would never press you for information. You do know that."

You nodded, "I know... it's just... sometimes I wish you would. I mean it's not that hard to press me a little."

Your heart raced a bit. Why? Was it because you were about to do something stupid? No. Were you building up to say something stupid? Maybe. Irreversible? Definitely.

You stopped at the end of the isle and turned to abruptly face the man. Your sharp eyes now looked into his, and there was a war in your mind. Don't do it. Don't say anything dumb. Just keep it to yourself. There aren't enough days left for this!

"You never give me shit. You let me run wild, and it's like... I just don't understand why. Now all of a sudden you say you're not pressing me, but I feel the pressure." You turned to walk away, but swiftly shifted back to continue this rant. "You wanna know what I wish I could change? I wish I could change my course when I ran that day. If I never made a turn down that street, I never would have jumped into Noct's stupid car. Then I would have never met him, or Prompto, or Gladio, or you."

Did you mean what you said? Sort of. It was nice knowing them, but it was also a huge pain. Dealing with your own sorrow was something you could handle but knowing that you'd be hurting others made it so much worse.

"I wouldn't have anything to miss. I wouldn't miss keeping Noctis up on the phone all night. I wouldn't miss making fun of terrible movies with Prompto and laughing the whole way through. I wouldn't miss feeling loved by Gladio... and you... I wouldn't miss finding out every day that you are so much more than you let the world perceive you to be, and that you're stupid perfect even when you're not. You wanted to know... well that's what I would change."

The man lifted your lowering face, "If you had nothing to miss, then you'd have nothing to return for."

Wide were your eyes. The contact between yours and his were unmovable. He spoke an obvious truth, but one that didn't really connect until now. You took too much pity on yourself. It was time to not only recognize but appreciate all of the people that you have been privileged to meet.

"Ignis!" You pulled the man's face down and planted a kiss on his cheek, "You're completely right. This is what I meant when I said you're stupid perfect."

He shook his head, "I'm not perfect."

You nudged the man, "Only a perfect person would realize their imperfection eh?" You chuckled, "Alright, let's get the drinks before people start thinking suspicious thoughts."

.

 **Crystal Beach : 7: 56pm : 43 days**

After that conversation with Ignis a few hours earlier, you felt some happiness return to you. It was like you could smell the roses again. Not a negative thought had crossed your mind. You even got Noctis to come into the water for a bit.

This day was sweet, and different from all others. Yeah, some strangers were hanging out with you, and although you could see Gladio's interest in them, you wouldn't let it bother you. You were the one who said he was allowed to do as he pleased.

Guess deep in there behind the hurt, you were genuinely happy that he'd be able to move on someday. That's all you wanted for all of them.

Where you were now was walking the shoreline alongside Noctis. The two of you chopped it up on an unexpected 45 minute walk. More unexpected on his behalf. He wasn't exactly the 'walk on the beach' type.

"You and Ignis were gone for a long time." Noctis spoke in the form of a statement, but it was more so a question about what happened.

"That was hours ago. You're barely asking me now? Ughhh, I swear you're turning into Prompto. We just talked about life and stuff. Ya know, the usual."

"You seemed happier when you came back. Figured you'd try to kill me or something if I pointed it out in front of everyone."

A smile stretched across your face, "You're right. I would have. I wish I wasn't, but I'm done dating for now."

"For now? I thought you were done dating for good, squirt."

You shook your head, "I figured it's best to stop acting like I'm being lead to slaughter. So, it's to be continued."

The prince smiled, "To be continued then."

The two of you continued on until you were back with the group. The bonfire was going, and the light pollution was at a minimum, so you could see the stars really nice.

You took your towel and lay it a few feet from the group. You just wanted to look at the stars. They were beautiful, distant, and everlasting. You almost felt jealous of not being able to be up there with them.

"See that formation?" Gladio lay beside you, "The one that looks like a straight line of blue stars?"

You nodded, "I do. What about it?"

"They say it can be seen anywhere in Eos given the weather conditions." He turned to look at you, "I don't know what it's gonna be like where you're going, but-"

"You want me to look at it during a certain time?" You smiled widely.

It was hard to contain. Even given your circumstances with one another, he had this… way. You were annoyed with him for most of this beach trip, and here he comes being himself at the 11th hour and you're smitten. Do dumb.

"How about 8:30pm? Insomnia time? Maybe once a week for 10 minutes. Sunday. It'll be something to motivate me to get through the rest of the week..."

The man nodded, "It's a date."


	35. Final Cleanup

**Cafe : 3:45pm :29 days**

"It's good right?" You rose an eyebrow as you took the final sip your green tea cappuccino.

Setting the cup down, you licked the remaining froth from your upper lip. It was sweet, but not overpowering. It was just the right amount of sugar to get you through this gloomy spring day.

"Yeah. I like it." Iris nodded as she sat opposite you.

You made it a priority to hang out with her a bit more during these past two weeks. She was young, but she wasn't dumb, and you wouldn't treat her that way. In fact, she was some sweet company to have. A nice change of pace.

"Gladdy doesn't really like me drinking too much caffeine."

You chuckled, "I told you already, I'm not Gladio. I'm not gonna baby you. He swears you've never had sugar or heard a curse word before."

Your eyes drifted away from the girl, and to the large window you sat beside. Rain droplets started to streak the window, and by the curve of the trees, you could tell that the wind began to pick up.

"You're the only one..." Iris started. "You're the only one who doesn't treat me like a kid. Thank you. I'm really glad we're friends."

"Me too." You nodded with a soft smile as you turned to look at her once more. "Maybe we should get you home before it starts coming down really hard."

The girl nodded and finished the rest of her cappuccino. She followed shortly behind you.

You grabbed your sizeable umbrella that rested against the table. You opened the wide green shield before stepping outside and walking beside the girl. You were just a short walk from the Amicitia manor. Wouldn't be too long before you arrived.

You would have drove here, but Gladio probably wouldn't appreciate it if you, an unlicensed driver, drove around town with his precious baby sister.

A subconscious smile adorned your face. The weather was just really nice, and you were lost in thought. You'd been having a lot of fun lately with your friends.

"Can I ask you something? I mean, without you getting offended?" Iris looked up at you with her precious brown eyes.

"Iris, ask me anything. I won't get offended, I promise." You spoke confidently, but you were so curious.

Was she going to comment on something physical? Your hair? Your weight? Maybe the new scar's you received in Altissia? Why would you get offended, you wondered?

"Did you break up with Gladdy because you started liking some else?" She asked without looking at you this time.

You were way more taken aback by this question than you thought initially. Where did she get that? How did she jump to this conclusion?

"Absolutely not. I guess now is a better time than any to tell you what's going on... In a month, I'm uh... not gonna be here anymore."

You had to be careful now. Tread lightly with your words. One of the reasons she respected you as a friend was because you didn't treat her like a helpless kid. Still, this was not anything she should know about. You'd count on Gladio to tell her the whole truth when she got older.

"What do you mean?" She spoke in a curiously worried tone.

"In a month I'm going to live in Niflheim full time." She would have to forgive you for your discretion, but you knew how Gladio was about his little sister.

He didn't want you to break her heart with the gritty details. At least not now. Perhaps she would understand when she was a little older. You just hoped she wouldn't but upset when she found out. Although you two started off on the wrong foot, you came to appreciate the relationship that you built now.

"You're leaving Insomnia for good? Why? Why would you go to Niflheim?" The girl stopped walking and looked up to you with eyes of sadness and curiosity.

You stopped as well, and you could barely look her in the eyes. Your jaw clenched as you took a deep inhale. It wasn't in your nature to lie to her. You'd respect Gladio's wishes not to dump all of your frustrations onto her, but you couldn't lie completely.

"Iris. There are a lot of things going on that are bigger than just you and me. I can't tell you everything; trust me when I say my hands are tied with this one. I just didn't want to suddenly disappear one day without word. When you turn 16 in four years... ask your brother. I know it seems like a long time from now, but I believe he'll see you mature enough to understand in that time. Personally I believe you can understand now, but like I said, it's not my call."

You didn't like this omission thing, but you hoped she'd at least understand enough to not ask any follow up questions. Certainly she had to know how her brother was at this point. It wasn't on you. At least, that's the excuse you'd keep saying to yourself.

"Will I see you ever again?" She asked; taking a saddened inhale.

"Yes." You spoke with conviction.

For the first time you acknowledged a return and believed in it. You didn't just say you'd see her again. In that moment, you knew you would. There was no shadow of doubt in your mind.

"Fifteen then." Iris nodded, "I'll ask him when I'm fifteen."

"Okay." The two of you continued walking. "I want you to know something though Iris. We may have an age gap of 6 years, but I valued this friendship the same as I would any, and I want to thank you for that time spent with me."

You two walked until you were at the front door of the Amicitia manor. It was there that you smiled softly at the girl. In her eyes you could tell that she was sad, but she was also very strong. A leader in the making.

Wrapping your arms around the girl, you squeezed her tightly. The two of you stood in an embrace, and you thought of how much you'd truly miss her. A smile softly spread on your face as you thought of your first interactions. You two have come a long way.

Just as you were backing away, the front door opened. Behind it stood Gladiolus; confused.

"Oh, hey." He frowned slightly at you.

"Oh hey?" You mocked his words. "Don't look so confused. You swear I'm like a kidnapper or something."

The man's eyebrow rose suspiciously, "No, it's just you two look pretty upset after supposedly having a good time."

Shit! You forgot how easily he read you sometimes. You couldn't lie either. He could smell bullshit from miles away. Better make this good.

"Listen..." You started, "Iris and I were talking abou-"

"My necklace." The girl interrupted you. "The one mom gave me."

Your eyes shot in her direction. Did she really just save your ass? Not that you'd be in TOO much trouble considering you only told her half of the truth. Still, it wasn't a conversation Gladio wanted you bringing up. It was a bridge he wanted to cross with her in his own time.

The man looked between the two of you and nodded, "Well did you at least have a good time out?"

"The best!" You both replied in unison.

You smiled genuinely at the girl, "That was even more fun than last time. Thanks. I gotta head back to my house."

"Cleaning out your last few skeletons?" Gladio asked with his tone bordering on disappointment.

He knew it was a hard task, but you now had less than a month. You were taking forever to clean this last room, and every time he asked you about it you'd say you'd do it in a couple of days.

"Yes, finally. I'll see ya." You turned away from him and headed back to your car.

Gladiolus closed the door behind Iris and stepped outside with you. He was far too tall to fit under your umbrella, but that was fine with him. He wouldn't shy away from a little rain.

"Hey." He called you. "You need a hand cleaning? I know you said it's personal, but it's taking you so long."

"No." You shook your head, "I've got it."

"You sure?" He lifted an eyebrow and offered you eyes of sincere assistance.

"I've got it." You reiterated, "I just uh... I needed more time than I thought. You understand that."

He nodded in agreement, though he didn't truly understand. "Yeah. Just take care."

He watched as you walked all the way to your car. Guess it was force of habit to make sure that you were safe, though the likelihood of something happening from the door to your car was very low. You placed your hand on the door handle, but your emotions held you there for a moment.

"We didn't break up because I started 'liking someone else.' You do know that?" You spoke the words that Iris previously stated to you; turning to face him as you did.

You were the one who said the relationship talks were over, but here you were being a hypocrite once again. This air needed to be cleared however. Iris had to have gotten that from Gladio, and you didn't want him to feel that way.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Your sister doesn't." You said in a completely neutral tone.

"I'm sorry about that. I-"

"Say things stupidly out of anger within earshot of the world." You walked back to the man and playfully sunk your fist into his arm; pushing off. "Yeah. I know."

Chuckling, you walked back to the car and opened the door. You closed the umbrella and took a seat in the car. Gladio closed the door behind you, and you found yourself looking up into those amber eyes again; goddammit.

You'd not roll the window down, but merely shake your head as you looked at him. As far as you were concerned, the two of you were still star crossed. You wanted to be proven wrong so badly, but your gut told you otherwise.

Starting up the car, you buckled up and headed back home. You had a house to clean.

.

 **Home : 9:35pm : 29 days**

Here you were again. You were home and you didn't waste time entering that final room. It was just a few boxes, but what lay inside remained unknown.

You felt so confident when you entered the room, but these boxes were anxiety riddling. There was only 3 of them, but each time you tried to open one you found that your arms weighed 1000 tons. Would you freeze like this when you were in Niflheim? No. You couldn't. Alright, it was time to be strong.

You lifted from the ground, and goosebumps hiked up your bare arms. Yes the scars may have been considered unsightly, and often you dreaded having them, but it wasn't like you were trying to win a beauty contest. Besides, they were apart of you now, and you'd make no apologies for them.

A grunt exited you and you lifted to stand up. "No more of this. I am not gonna keep making a mountain out of a molehill."

You walked over to the box and knelt down once again. Digging your fingernail under the tape, you slowly began to peel it away. Considering you waited hours to get to this point, the weight of it all didn't seem as heavy as before. Instead of 1000 tons, it was just one; still unrealistically heavy.

Gently you ripped the tape, and the folds of the box sprung slightly upwards. Just as you were going to open it, your doorbell rang. It was never not weird for your doorbell to ring. If you didn't invite people over, then there was no reason for them to come.

Secretly in your heart of hearts you were happy to take the break, even if for a few minutes. You lifted up and walked to the door. Opening it you were surprised to see a drenched Noctis and Prompto at your door. Yup. This takes the cake. This was extremely odd.

"Yes?" You spoke to them with the door cracked as if they were both strangers.

"Let us in squirt. I'm freezing my ass off." Noct placed his palm on the door and tried to open it.

"Maybe you should have called first then." You rose a snarky eyebrow. Quickly your eyes shifted to Prompto, and his little shivering self just looked so sad.

Reaching out, you grabbed the blond boy's wrist and pulled him inside. "Get in here."

The prince followed in after and you closed the door behind them.

"What are you guys doing here?" You sighed heavily, "And why did you come to my house? You know my current residence is actually room 408 at Hotel Insomnia, right?"

The raven haired boy nodded, "Yeah, but Gladio said you were here."

Prompto chimed in, "Yeah, you weren't answering your phone so we asked around. Gladio said last you guys talked you were headed here."

You smirked, "So you just had to follow me home? What do you two want?"

"You left these at my apartment by the way." Noctis took a few papers from his pocket and handed them to you.

Cautiously you took the papers and they were your letters addressed to no one. One for each of the boys. Of course it didn't take a genius to figure out which belonged to which.

"You read them? That's an invasion of privacy Noctis!" Your grip tightened and you slightly began to crumble the papers.

"No hard feelings, right?" Prompto stayed out of arm's reach from you. "I mean you did leave them just hanging around. It's not a true invasion of privacy since we didn't go through your things."

"You read them too?!" You grit your teeth as you growled at the boy, "What the hell guys?!"

In dramatic fashion, you tumbled backwards onto the box; your neck and shoulders hanging off the back. There was nothing that could slip past this group ever. There was nothing that could even be said.

"I thought my last days would be drama free. Why did I ever think that?" You laughed through your words.

"I couldn't tell you." Noctis shook his head.

You placed your hands on your face and shook your head. "And what did you gather from reading them?"

"It's all bullshit." The prince spoke to you straight. "Sounds like a bunch of goodbyes."

You nodded, "You're right. I wrote that as a woman unsure. Unsure about everything, really. My life, mostly. I didn't know if I'd give them to you guys or not. I'm glad you read them though, because I do love you guys, but this isn't goodbye."

There was a silence now, but it wasn't bad. It was more of a refreshing silence. Of course with someone like Prompto around it could never last long.

"Whoa look at this!" Prompto lifted up a jewel encrusted gown from the box.

It was gaudy; overwhelming even. It was a long and white with the ends fading into what looked like flower pedals.

Okay, good call on breaking the silence. Normally you'd be mad that he was going through your delicate belongings, but it was nice for the bandaid to just get ripped off.

"What else is in there?" You pulled back the box and there was a veil inside.

White heels, and a preserved bouquet. These were for a wedding, but by the condition you could tell that they had never been used.

"My mother's." You looked at the items, "These were hers, I'm sure of it. This isn't my aunt's size."

You started to rip open the other box you were just lying on. All of this was confusing. From what you remembered, your parents never married.

Upon peeling back the folds, you found your own things. Baby clothes and toys. Pictures of your aunt and mother in their younger days. Why was this hidden away? Was you aunt preserving these things as some sort of a memorial? One for the life that your mother wished to live but couldn't?

"Are you gonna be okay?" Prompto approached you cautiously, and sat at your side.

You nodded softly, "I understand now why my aunt didn't want me to get close to you all. It wasn't just to hide my identity, but because of attachment. She was afraid that I would never be able to let go just as she couldn't. She's wrong though. My friends, you guys, you don't weaken me. You give me so much strength."

"Glad to hear it squirt." Noct gave you a friendly slap on the back.

"Well, what are you gonna do with all this stuff?" Prompto glanced around.

"Give it to me." Noctis replied without giving you a chance. "I'll hold onto it for when you get back."

You shook your head, "I can't keep dumping things on you guys. I've already given away so much. Besides, what if I don't even want it anymore?"

"What if you do?" The prince asked sternly, "Better to find that out later than throw it all out now."

"No regrets, right?" Your question was more of a statement.

"No regrets." Prompto nodded alongside you.

"Let's get this stuff back to my place then. If there's still time we can make the late show." Noctis picked up a box and headed to your front door.

"The late show? The late show for what?" You followed suit behind him.

Prompto caught up to you as he carried the last box and gave you a light shoulder bump, "Didn't ya know? The new alien horror movie is coming out tonight. It's called Phantasmal. I thought we told you about this."

"Nope." You shook your head, "I'm not doing it."

"What?" Noctis looked back at you, "I thought you loved horror movies!"

The three of you packed the boxes into the back of the prince's car. He'd man the wheel, and you rode shotgun. That left Prompto in the back seat, but from the way he was leaning over he'd be far from left out of this conversation.

"First of all, I never said that. Secondly, you guys ALWAYS scare me! Every single time without fail. And finally, you waited until the last possible minute to invite me. So no, I'm not going. I'll crash at your place Noct." You crossed your arms tightly and looked away from the boys.

"Aw, come on squirt. Ignis'll be there, so you know he won't let us scare you anyway." The raven haired boy pouted at the thought.

"Gladio too. He'll probably kick our asses or something." Prompto shrugged, "Then again... he might join in..."

You placed a fictitiously offended hand to your chest, "Excuse me! You invited Ignis and Gladio before you invited me?! Oh hell no. I'm really not going now!"

"You're actually offended by this." Noct chuckled, "Come on. Quit being a hard ass."

This argument continued the entire ride, and neither side was budging. They wanted you to go, and you pretended that you didn't want to. In the back of your mind it was really nice to feel wanted. Of course you were going to go, but it was fun raising a little hell.

.

 **Apartment : 10:13pm : 29 days**

"Just go squirt. You know you're gonna have a good time." Noctis gave his final plea upon entering the apartment.

The three of you set the boxes down in the living room, and that was fine by the both of you. Noct would find somewhere to put it later, and your heart was at ease knowing this.

"You aren't going to watch Phantasmal?" Ignis arched an eyebrow from the comfy chair beside the couch; he'd been waiting on you all.

You placed your face in your hands, "Ignis you don't understand. Every time I watch a horror movie these two idiots scare me. Be it in the theater or after. It's so cruel and I just don't wanna deal with that."

"I'll see to it that doesn't happen then." He gave a shockingly terrifying look to both Noctis and Prompto; scary serious. "There will be none of that in the theater or otherwise, understood?"

There was still a hint of mischief on the boys faces, and Ignis was very perceptive of this. It was always quite an experience to see Ignis sticking up for you, and it was never because you couldn't, it was because he wanted to.

Your eyes narrowed, "I still don't trust them."

"Then split em up." You heard the voice of Gladio as well as the front door closing behind him.

You didn't even hear him open the door, but by his response you could tell he'd been there long enough to at least know what the conversation was about. Probably unlacing his boots or something.

The tall man continued as he entered the living room. "Split them up and these two are helpless."

A devious smile crept onto your face, "Ooh. That's a good idea. They can both sit on the ends. I'm good with that."

The thought of them being nowhere near you during the movie was comforting. Yeah, you were ready for this head clearing evening out.

.

 **Cinema : 12:03am : 28 days**

Here you were in this dark theater. Heart racing, palms clammy, and slightly shaky hands covering your eyes. Not only was this movie eerie; it was extremely suspenseful.

Starting from your left the row was Noctis, Gladio, you, Ignis, and Prompto. Although you felt safe in between the two men at your side, you still felt so suspicious. Noctis and Prompto scared you as a tradition, and you were hard pressed to believe that would end today.

The music quieted, and all you could hear were the footsteps of the protagonist walking down the long, dark corridor of his space shuttle.

You could swear on anything that the whole theater could hear your racing heart. This was torture. You felt like a jump scare should have happened already, and the suspense was absolutely paralyzing.

Slowly the camera panned to the right, and there it was. A rabid alien came right at the camera. While the theater reacted their way with loud gasps and squeals, you reacted yours.

Suppressing a loud scream, you jumped up a bit and flung yourself into the nearest person. You squeezed tightly, and felt an arm wrap around you in comfort. You didn't know why you did it, but it just happened.

There was no need to look up and see the person you were squeezing; you already knew. This grasp was familiar.

You kept your face buried in his chest. It was partly because you were scared, and partly because you knew that all of the shame would hit you when you backed away. Looking up, you saw Gladio watching the movie. So long as you were comforted beneath his arm he'd allow you to be there.

Maybe he was pretending to be nonchalant, or maybe it was just second nature to protect you, so he didn't think twice about it. Maybe it was just something he was doing for his friend and it didn't run deeper than that. The thought saddened you, but why?

You pulled away from the man, "Sorry, I freaked out."

"It's fine." He gave a light smile and focused back on the screen.

Facing toward the screen again, you looked at the movie, but you weren't watching. Those around you were surprised by your lack of squeals and hiding for shelter. Why is it that you had to contradict everything in your life?

You call it quits with Gladio, but you're upset with him treating you like a friend. This is how breakups work... good ones anyway. No hard feelings. It's not like the two of you didn't hang out and watch movies together since splitting, but this was different. Horror was the genre you picked when you two went on dates; always. It was a nice excuse to cuddle.

It was stupid. Not your feelings, but the reason behind trying to excuse those feelings. Yoyoing this relationship was not something you were willing to do, but neither was putting yourself through agony.

Don't leave. That's all you could tell yourself. You've been pushing away all your problems so far, and you couldn't just walk away like that. Face it, you were a disaster, but one with a purpose at least.

Your eyes glued back to the screen, but again, you weren't really reacting as much to the scary parts. You sort of closed off your mind so that you didn't find yourself leaping into anymore laps.

Just one more hour of this and you'd be home free.

.

 **Cinema : 1:22am : 28 days**

"Movie wasn't as scary as I thought." Noctis crossed his arms with a pout as the five of you exited the theater.

"But the post-credit scene looked like a set up for the next movie. Seemed kinda good." Prompto spoke as he tried to hold in his excitement.

"Nah, they always do that." Gladio rolled his eyes. "They set up the next movie and make it look good, but it'll be the same as this."

"At least the computer generated imagery was aesthetically pleasing." Ignis thought aloud as he contributed to the conversation.

You couldn't stay quiet or else they'd know something was up with you.

"I er… uh… didn't like it." You frowned at your clearly well put together thought.

"Yeah, but you weren't as scared as I thought you'd be." Noctis slightly side eyed you.

"Well it's because I… uh… Gotta train with the Glaives next week and I keep thinking about it. Cause I was talking to Cor and he said… well, you know what Cor's like."

Damn, that thought was put together even worse than the last. This one sort of edged it out though considering it was a complete lie. Looked like you'd have to go MIA sometime next week to uphold this little fib.

"What day?" Gladio looked down at you with raised eyebrows.

"Saturday." You replied with an unsure nod.

"Oh cool. I'll stop by then." He smiled.

"No!" You unintentionally replied with a yell, "I don't like people watching me train. It's just.. I set my mind differently, ya know? I get into this space and become kind of a different person. I don't wanna lose that focus so…"

Nothing weird about the way you replied at all. Not only were you lying about training, you definitely didn't want Gladio of all people to come and visit you.

"Okay then. I won't come, no worries." He shrugged it off sensibly.

Dammit! You were going to have to 'skip town' that day. Wasn't gonna be fun, but you couldn't let this lie collapse on itself. If it did, it would all be traced back to the root of the problem, which was you trying to deny your feelings.

Probably worth it.. hopefully…

The five of you were getting ready to split off as you'd now entered the parking lot. You all didn't make a habit of driving the same car unless you were going long distances, so you, Noct and Prompto were in one car. Ignis and Gladio were in the other.

It was nice for this night to end. You could figure out what to do next Saturday when that day came. For now, you'd relax and enjoy this weekend before school started up again.

You opened the car door, and just as you were going to sit you noticed the decapitated head in your seat.

Quickly you closed the door and screamed to the top of your lungs. What the hell was that doing there?!

You stumbled back into a hysterically laughing Prompto trying to catch his breath. On the other side was Noctis laughing equally as hard.

"Fuck you guys!" You said with the last bit of breath in you.

Of course. They knew Ignis would never let them scare you, so they planned way ahead. You knew when Prompto said he had to use the bathroom before the movie started he was gone for a suspiciously long time.

They did it again! It was annoying in the moment, but you hoped that you could later on find the humor in it. You shook your head and looked at the two boys.

"I hate you guys."


	36. Hiding Out

**Beach : 8:11am : 21 days**

The day of reckoning had come. The day you had to ditch all populated areas of Insomnia because of your stupid lie. Unfortunately it wasn't just Gladio you lied to. You told Gladio that you'd be training, but a couple days later you told Noctis that was a lie. Knowing that you'd be free that day he asked you to go with him to a doctor's appointment.

You knew that would take literally all day, so you told him you actually had a dentist appointment. Of course that trickled down to Prompto who knew you were scamming everyone, so he asked if you could help him do his science project from start to finish. Yeah... hell no, so you told him your 'real' plans were to make your house look squeaky clean so it can get sold soon. The only person you didn't lie to was Ignis, but that was only because he didn't ask you to do anything.

There was so much time to back track on these lies, but between homework and exams, you never did. So here you were.

It wasn't as gloomy as last week luckily. The sun was nice and high. You still had an umbrella to protect you from the unforgiving beams of the barely risen sun. Not many people were here. It was like you had the whole place to yourself. This would be a nice way to spend your day. Alone, yes, but not lonely.

You decided it was best you left at the crack of dawn. That way you didn't have to deal with any traffic or potentially run into someone. Lazy days like this were the best. You could just do your own thing. Listen to the tide and natural ambiance. Watch time pass. Enjoy the sun. Get to know yourself all over again. You promised yourself no technology on this trip. Which reminded you.

"I should put my phone on silent." You reached into your bag to grab your phone.

As you put a hand on it, the phone began to vibrate. You didn't recognize the number at all, and you slightly started to panic. What if this was Gladio calling from a secret number? What if he was trying to bust you? Whatever man, he wasn't your dad!

"What do you want? I'm super busy. I thought I told you this!" You defensively shouted into the phone.

"Excuse me?" The other person responded, and by the voice you already knew who it was.

Oh he was very irritated by your tone, and you knew he was getting ready to go OFF on you. But it wasn't in the yelling way. He was going to go off in a way that his voice remained calm, but his words cut deeper than his katana ever could.

"Oh, no! Mr. Leonis I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else. I didn't mean to speak to you like that, really! I've never seen this number before, so I thought it was my friend trying to spy on me. You see, it's a long story. Well, it's not that long of a story actually. I mean it's kind of long if you consider the history. Alright, so it all started when I was at the park looking for my dog, only I didn't have a dog, I was just covering for a friend-"

"Kid. KID! Stop." He took a stern tone with you.

There was no one else on the planet that you were this terrible with speaking to. Cor was intimidating, yes, but you'd spoken to much higher ups and held your own. There was no explanation for this whatsoever. Something about this guy had you tripping over your words left and right.

"Sorry. Yes? Sorry... sorry." You grit your teeth.

He sighed into the receiver as if he regretted calling, "I think you were right about what you said."

"What did I say? That part about my arrows still being able to hurt even though they were plastic?" You needed to be quiet.

He paused again, as if the regret deepened, "Just be at Ground Up in 20 minutes."

Ahh! So it all made since now! What you said about grabbing coffee must have stuck with him. It probably wasn't because he found you extremely amusing to be around, but more so because he believed you were right when you said you guys should get to know each other better. You'd be his only connection to Niflheim, and he'd be your only connection to Insomnia.

It wasn't like your meetups would be passing quick info. The way you saw it, they would be long discussions. To get closer to Cor would mean he'd tell you more about how Insomnia is holding up. For Cor to get closer to you would mean there was a less chance of you going rogue. Not that you planned to.

"I can't." You bit your bottom lip before continuing, "It'll take me a few hours to get back. Is there some way we could just meet in the middle, or..."

It was going to be a long ass drive, and besides that, you were trying to stay away from Insomnia right now. You had friends to avoid!

"Where are you?" He asked genuinely questioning.

Why the hell would you be anywhere but in the city, he wondered? You weren't seen as a loose cannon in his eyes, but definitely somewhat of a wildcard.

"I'm at the beach. It's pretty nice here actually. Water, sand, few people, close shops, nice breeze, warm sun, water, sand, few-."

"You're repeating yourself." He stopped you, and by his tone of voice you could tell that he was pinching the bridge of his nose rather tightly. "Just be here in 2 hours. If you don't come, then I'll assume it's not that important to you."

You sprung up from your seat, "What?! No! What?! Sir, it took me almost 3 hours to get here and that was with no traffic. It's going to take me at least 4 and a half hours if I leave right now, and that's if I'm lucky If I get there on time that means I should be on the road 2 hours ago!"

"I'm sure you'll find a way." The man hung up the phone without giving you a chance to reply.

He already gave you his seal of approval, so he couldn't take it back, right? Still, you wanted to look good in the eyes of this man. You felt like he was your boss or something, even though he wasn't. Why was he so strict?! Couldn't he just give or take an hour? Shit, you were going to have to speed.

Quickly you packed up your things and made haste to your car. So much for this day of getting to know yourself. Now all you were getting to know was the amount of hoops you'd jump through to impress Cor the Immortal.

.

 **Ground Up Cafe : 10:14 : 21 days**

You sped like a bat out of hell. You took the toll roads when there were any. You swerved through traffic. You drove on the shoulder. You were a manic on the road that should have been avoided at all cost. Most of all though, you made it here on time.

You attempted to smooth out your windblown hair as you approached the establishment. Outside under an umbrella sat an unamused Cor. He was stoic as ever, and not at all impressed by you making it here on time. Whatever. He didn't have to be impressed; you were impressed.

"I'm here." You spoke as you hopped over the small fence that enclosed the café, "I apologize for being absolutely-"

"Late." He cut you off. "You're 2 minutes late according to my watch."

Oh, you were appalled at this reaction. Normally you'd give all the respect in the world to this man, but after what you went through on that road, you were 0 to 100 furious with his late comment.

"Are you kidding me? Do you know what I went through just to get here?!" You slammed your hands down on the table.

"I'm sure you broke a number of laws." His tone stayed the same as his sharp gaze remained on you. "But go on."

It was like you were having flashback of your aunt. No cutting corners. No breaks given. There was something oddly parallel. You never did get a chance to yell at her for all the things she put you through…

"Listen up Cor Leonis! You called me here, and I came! Lord knows I wanted to cancel, but I didn't! Why? Because I wanted to show you that I am a reliable person! Someone you can count on to get a job done! Do I want you to cut me some slack? No! However in this situation I would think that your rational judgement would give or take 124 fucking seconds!"

You were fuming. You didn't mean to give him a piece of your mind like that, but you were pissed. No one in the world could be this tough. It was just so annoying to you. Guess it was set in stone then. You two would never have a positive relationship. Not after yelling at him like that. Oh well. You tried.

For just a brief second you saw his hard exterior crack into a slight smile. It wasn't a large smile, but more so a smirk. That was the equivalent of a wide grin on anyone else. What the hell was that face for?

"It's about time." He nodded, "Take a seat."

"What's about time?" You took a seat as he asked; your tone still upset.

"That you spoke to me like a human being. You don't need to keep up this facade when you speak to me. Just talk to me like anyone else." He nodded.

"Goddamn it! So it was your plan to have me yell at you?! Do you know what I went through on that road?! Really?! Do you?!" You sat back and sunk a bit in your seat, "Lesson learned, okay? I'm sorry. You just make me nervous."

"Why is that?" He asked in his same stoic tone.

"I don't know. I just wanna build a friendship I guess, but I don't wanna mess it up or force it. Then I get nervous thinking about you not liking me and blurt everything out at once." You held your forehead in your hand as you shook your head.

Cor sighed lightly; seemed as if he was slightly annoyed with you still, "You know everyone you come across isn't going to like you. There are some people you will clash with no matter how hard you try. It's best you just be yourself and stop trying to force things."

His words got you thinking. It was true. You had almost this obsession with being liked by everyone. It was probably because you knew what it felt like to be disliked and it was something you tried to avoid.

"Are you saying you don't like me Mr. Leonis?" You teased with a smirk.

He took a sip of his black coffee; keeping his eyes on you all the while. "You should stop putting so much real estate into other people's opinions."

"What, like you?" You cocked up an eyebrow. "Sorry, I can't just walk around and act like I don't give a shit."

"It's not that 'I don't give a shit.'" He repeated your words.

You sat up a bit more as you were surprised that he would use such language. You weren't offended by it or anything, but it sort of caught you off guard. Perhaps it was his way of trying to level with you.

"I just put my effort into more important things." He took another sip of coffee. "You're a strong young woman. I know that you'll come to understand that soon enough."

"But sometimes you can't let things go..." You took the pot of coffee and poured yourself a drink with one of the extra cups. "Okay, so long as we're on this outing or whatever, I'm going to ask you some questions."

Black coffee was always bitter, but you found yourself drinking it for the health benefits. Not only that, you subconsciously wanted Cor to think that you were mature. Here you were still... caring about opinions. You put the cup to your lips and sipped. Yes, bitter indeed, but you'd go with it.

"Alright, So let's talk about you." You started with a smirk. "I wanna know who you are domestically. I have a special chisel equipped for the stoic types, so don't think that you're going to hide anything from me Mr. Leonis."

You could tell by the man's almost grimacing expression that he did not want to have this conversation with you. He may have been the stoic type, but you were the prying type whether you liked to admit it or not.

Without allowing him to respond, you'd continue, "Alright, so how's the married life? You are married right? Any kids? Are you the breadwinner? Does your spouse that may or may not exist like your facial hair? Have I met them?"

The conversation ensued, and the two of you chopped it up for a solid hour. That was a lot longer than you thought it would be. By that time you swore that he'd be sick of you already. It was nice to see him even slightly loosen up. The two of you didn't know everything about each other still, and it would be a far cry to call yourselves good friends, but you could feel the beginnings of something nice. An ally at the very least.

"So I'm coming in the kitchen like 'hey, did you take my bowl out of the oven' and he's like 'no.' So the bowl melted onto the pizza, and that was the first time I realized Noctis should never cook. I believe we were like 15 or 16 at the time." You chuckled.

Cor gave a light smile. It was nice hearing random stories like that. They carried sentimental value. Of course he didn't have stories like yours, but he was entertained by yours; you could tell.

The man stood up from the table. He placed money down and paid for your drinks. You couldn't hide your wide grin as you looked at the man.

"Just do it." You giggled, "Say we should do this again. C'mon, let me hear it."

"I do feel as though I can trust you a bit more after having done this. If my schedule clears sometime within your final days, I'm sure it wouldn't be too troubling to do this again."

You nodded with a teasing shit eaten grin, "Ah! Damn right! You like me Mr. Leonis!"

"Take care." The man walked away from the table and headed away.

He definitely wouldn't be calling you for leisure, but at least he didn't hate you. He was right about some of the things he said though; not everyone was going to like you. You needed to come to terms with that and stop trying to be everyone's right hand.

He had gone, but you were enjoying this Spring sun and wanted to stay out just a bit longer. You didn't want to waste this day but going back to the beach wasn't an option now. You didn't have it in you to drive back out there again.

Just as you were getting up, you heard a familiar voice; a very familiar voice actually. You looked and saw Gladiolus coming to the outside area where you were and taking a seat.

You quickly ducked to the side of the table so that your eyes were leveled with the flat surface. Your eyes amplified with fury as you watched him sit down with another woman. A date? Was he on a date?! Oh hell no! Again, you questioned if you had the right to be mad at this.

Why is he going on a date now? Because he thinks you're training with the Glaive's so there's no way he'd get caught?! There's nothing to catch! He's a single man! He can do what he wants!

The two sat a couple tables down just diagonally on your left. Luckily the woman was facing your direction and Gladio had his back toward you. You should take this time to leave so that you won't potentially get caught in a lie, buuuuuut you're gonna snoop. At least for a little bit.

You took a seat once again and used the menu to partially cover your face. You tried to listen as carefully as you could, but the cars were not helping the situation. One thing you knew for sure though, the pieces that you did hear were not very appreciated.

The woman wore a low cut black crop top and a form fitting cream colored skirt. It was definitely not something to be worn if this was just a business meeting, so you knew for sure it was a date. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and her makeup unfortunately amazing. She was a good looking red haired girl, and it was sort of hard to admit.

"You know Gladdy, you never call me. I was surprised you wanted me to come out with you. So are you still dating that-" A car came by just as she mentioned you. "Goodness, she was-"

Gladdy? Um! Who the fuck did she think she was; calling him that nickname? And what did she just call you? Still dating that girl? That bitch? That gremlin?

That goddess is what she should call you! There were so many details being lost to this damn Insomnian traffic Your heart raced, and your foot tapped nervously against the concrete beneath you. You didn't know what to do, so to busy yourself, you took a sip of the remaining coffee.

"Don't call her that. I know she's a good person. Too good actually." Gladio shook his head, "And no, I'm not dating her anymore."

What did she call you?! Oh you were irate. It was a good thing Cor wasn't around to see this. The two of you had just started making progress.

"That doesn't exactly mean anything." She looked away from the man. "Last time you weren't dating her, but you still bailed on me. So are we going to try for real this time or what? I don't want to waste my time Gladiolus."

"Last time I wasn't in the right head space. This time I really think we can make this work."

Time slowed almost to a screeching halt for you. Life hit the brakes really fast with that comment. It was as if two dormant wires in your brain finally connected and became a unit.

"It's her." You whispered to yourself with bated breath.

It was the girl you assumed you'd never come to cross paths with, and if you did you hoped you'd never know who she was. About a month ago you asked Gladio one last question regarding your relationship. This was her; the woman he attempted to forget you with, you were sure of it. The one woman he lay with while you were gone… or attempted to.

You'd be lying if you said you wouldn't be jealous if it was someone else, but the fact that it was her made the sting of it a lot worse. He came back to her, and that meant there was some type of emotional attachment. Saying you'd be fine with him moving on sounded good in the moment, but as it played out, you weren't fine with it.

The girl placed her hand over his and smiled fondly at him. It was enough to make you sick. These past few weeks of watching him flirt with other girls and treat you like one of the boys has been rough, but this took the cake. You didn't need to see anymore.

You stood up from the table and began to walk back to your car. To whom could you complain? Those you could vent to were to be avoided, and Ignis... no, you couldn't talk to Ignis about this. It just wouldn't seem right.

.

 **Hotel Insomnia : 11:47am : 21 days**

You lay awake in your plush Cal King sized bed. You said you didn't want to waste the day, and you weren't but you would allow yourself this break. Gladio was moving on with his life as he should, and that made you think that you should too. What a waste these next 3 weeks would be if you spent them dwelling on someone else's life?

You sprung back up from your bed and walked over to the large full body mirror in the bathroom. You were still wearing your beach attire which consisted of a white off the shoulders crop top and a long flowing high waist powder blue skirt. Simple but still very cute. You weren't going to waste this outfit on moping all day.

You were hoping to keep up this lie, but you needed to talk to Noctis. Of course Prompto was usually your first go to for relationship chats, but you knew he'd be extremely busy working on that project. All Noct would be doing was sitting around in a waiting room the whole day.

You sat atop the marble counter top of your bathroom and called up Noctis. You faced the mirror and fixed your hair a bit as you did. Putting the phone down and turning it on speaker, you decided to throw on a bit of makeup while you talked to the prince. Nothing dramatic, really. Just some mascara and winged liner.

"Hello?" The prince answered.

"Hey. Do you wanna hang out? Listen, I lied about having a doctor's appointment. I went to the beach and I'm sorry. You can yell at me later. I just really need to get out of the hotel today and get my mind off of things. You down?" You asked while breaking out the liquid liner and carefully applying it to your right eye.

He paused for a moment, "Who is this?"

"What? What do you mean who is this? It's me. Your best friend. 'Squirt.' Did you not look at your phone and just picked up? Still I'm offended that you don't know my voice after all these years." You rolled your eyes and continued to apply the liner.

"Oh, I dun mean to offend you." His voice began to crack as if he was getting ready to cry. "I hope thiz dozen ruin our friendship. I juz value you zo much."

You sat up straight and looked at the phone, "Noctis Lucis Caelum. This can't be you. I'm gonna facetime you okay?"

You finished up your other eye before switching over to facetime. Upon doing so, you saw Noctis with puffy cheeks and his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his skull.

"Wow, you're zo beautiful. You're MY friend?" The prince looked at you as he unsteadily held the phone, "You dun even... you dun even know how pretty you are."

"Your mind is fried boy. Damn, I never wanna get my wisdom teeth pulled." You shook your head, "But thanks?"

The phone shook a bit as it was taken out of the prince's hands. When it focused again there was Prompto looking right back at you. Oh shit.

"You went to the beach? I thought you said you were cleaning your house." The blond rose a suspicious eyebrow.

"Prompto!" You sprung up; nearly falling off the counter. "I... uh... I... I thought you had a project to do!"

He cleared his throat nervously, "I um... had a date."

You squealed, "Ah! My husband is back on the field! Where is she?"

He looked down in a fit of defeat, "Yeah... had. I'll tell you about it later."

"Tell me about it in 30?" You smiled, "Looks like us single lovers need a day of relaxation."

"You bet." The boy nodded, "Hey, before you go watch this." Prompto cozied up to Noctis, "You said she was beautiful but not me? What kind of friend are you?"

The prince's big blue eyes watered up as he looked at his friend, "No Prompto you're beautiful too. I juz can- I juz can't afford ta lose another friend. Not like thiz."

"Okay, that's quite enough." The phone was snatched up again and refocused on Ignis this time, "Oh, hello."

"Hey." You waved, "Take care of that boy while Prompto and I are gone. Make sure nothing happens to that handsome face, you hear me?"

Ignis nodded, "You can be assured that Noctis will be in good hands."

You briefly pursed your lips, "I was actually talking about you, but sure, you can take care of Noctis too I guess."

You hung up the phone and shortly after leaned your head up against the mirror, "Why did I say that?"

.

 **Poolside Resort : 12:23pm : 21 days**

You were already dressed for swimming underneath your flowing beach attire, so you figured it was best to stick with the theme. The two of you met up at a resort where the poolside was lively. It was like being on a carnival cruise except you were down the street from the place you called home.

You kept it simple with your swimsuit this time. It was just a white one piece; open back with a little bit of side boob. Nothing to turn a bunch of heads in, but that wasn't really your goal anyway. Prompto on the other hand was turning many heads.

He had to buy a new pair of trunks on the way, so he was uncomfortably sporting some teeny red shorts.

"So you said you had a date." You looked over at the boy as the two of you lay underneath a shady cabana. "You lied to me Prompto. You said you had a project due. Why would you ask for my help if you had a date?"

The boy twiddled his thumbs, "I knew you'd say no… and I didn't want you guys to know I met someone online."

You sat up, "Prompto, you're one of my best friends. I want nothing but the best for you. What could you possibly have to hide? Was she a little uneasy on the eyes? Was 'she' a cover? Was she missing some teeth? I mean all of these things don't matter to me so long as you're happy. You know that."

The boy shook his head, "No, no. It's none of those. I just didn't want you guys to know just in case it didn't work out... and it didn't. She stood me up."

"Well she's just a dumbass." You shrugged, "You're the total package Prompt, so don't let that get you down. You're funny and sweet and cute and smart and a bunch of other adjectives I can't even think of right now."

"Thanks." He smiled at your kind words. "What about you? On the way here you kept calling this the 'single lovers' relaxation day. Something happen?"

You plopped back down on the cabana and rolled your eyes as your face directed toward the sky now. "I don't know what it feels like to get kicked in the dick, but I'm pretty sure I got kicked in my metaphorical dick today Prompt."

"Tell me." The boy pried.

"My dear sweet ex boyfriend. I saw him on a date with this girl today. It's a girl that I know he's been intimate with before." You found your fists clenching at this point, "Worst part is, she's gorgeous as shit. Red hair, hazel eyes, giant tits AND a giant ass. It's like just pick one."

Prompto sat up quickly, "Red head with... did she have freckles and a mole under her left eye? Did you hear any of their conversation?"

"Wait a minute! Don't tell me that's the girl who stood you up?!" You sat up as well and looked at him with a deep intensity.

"What? No. She's um. I don't know who this girl is, but I definitely don't think that's one of Gladio's ex's... or anyone he's been intimate with."

You leaned in closer to the boy, "Prompto how can you say you don't know her, but you don't think that's his ex? Do you know her or not?"

"Y-no. No! I don't know her!" He blurted out suspiciously.

"You're acting really weird. What do you know that I don't? Tell me Prompto!" You were getting serious now.

"I don't know anything. I just... I have to go. I forgot I have to p-pick up di-lunch or something. I'll catch you later, okay?"

"Are you joking?!" You yelled at the boy, "You couldn't even come up with a solid lie! At least commit to it!"

Now you were left in quite a pickle. You could confront Gladio directly about this, but he'll know that you not only lied, you snooped as well. Or you could trust Prompto that all was well. He had no reason to cover for Gladio, so maybe he was telling the truth?

Then again his suspicious behavior made no sense. Why did he say that wasn't his ex, but he didn't know her? If he didn't know her then how could he describe her so well? You were going to get to the bottom of this, that was for damn sure. You just hoped that you'd be able to hold your tongue long enough not to explode.


	37. The Explosion

**School : 12:25pm : 16 days**

Classwork... it was more of something to busy your time now that your days were winding down. It was something you did but knew it wouldn't be much help. Not where you were going. You wouldn't be able to see your diploma, but knowing that you earned it did some kind of good on your heart.

That wasn't where your mind was surprisingly. As much as you tended to think of your future, you were currently thinking of the past. A past that was creeping up and haunting your present.

"Are you alright squirt? You're not still thinking about the girl from the cafe, are you?" Noctis approached you in the hallway.

The two of you stood facing the window and looking out at the school yard. Your eyes were glued to the new budding flowers as you tried to think of everything but that.

"No, I'm not letting a random chick ruin my day again if that's what you're asking." You crossed your arms tightly as you lied through your teeth.

"Right, so then you won't mind if she hangs with us?"

"What?" You had to restrain your voice from raising mid word. Did he really just ask you that?

The prince laughed, "I'm joking, but I knew it was bothering you."

"Oh ha-ha. My pain is your pleasure, is that right?" You rolled your eyes with a scoff creeping from your throat, "He's a grown man. He can date who he wants. In two weeks I won't be around to see their blossoming relationship anyway."

"I doubt there will be a relationship coming out of that." Noctis subconsciously spoke.

Your eyebrows knitted together as you heard his words. Prompto practically told you the same thing. These boys were acting like they knew this woman but claiming they didn't. There was something fishy going on around here.

"So, do you know her or not? You can't speak on someone else's relationship unless you know the person. Either you and Prompto have met this girl, or Gladio has told you about her. Which is it?" You kept your dead eye contact with the boy, and although he wasn't one to get too intimidated, he didn't want to answer this question.

"I-" Just a single word came out of his mouth right before the bell rang.

It was a true relief for him, but you'd not soon forget this conversation. You had him boxed in a corner, and if he wouldn't talk you knew Prompto would. It wasn't even about the girl anymore, it was about them lying... maybe it was a bit of both, but the truth is you just felt hurt right now. Perhaps you were being sensitive, but the fact that it seemed as though they took his side over yours really cut deeper than you expected.

Instead of making him talk right then and there, you'd wait until class was over. That way you could have a proper dialogue with both him and Prompto.

.

 **Apartment : 3:59pm : 16 days**

Here you were again, just like old times. You, Noct, and Prompto hanging out in his apartment and watching tv. It was fun and all, but you still needed to get this conversation out of the way. Noctis knew you wanted to, but he'd not ask you what was wrong as he didn't want to go down that road again.

Of course Prompto was oblivious to it all and was just enjoying the company of his two best buddies. The three of you laughed at the embarrassing video of Noctis at the dentist from the other day, but your laughs were only halfhearted. You needed to talk.

"Just so we're clear..." You blurted out as the video was playing. "You guys aren't hiding anything from me are you? Like... something you think might hurt my feelings? Something you would normally tell me but since I'm leaving in two weeks you don't wanna cross that bridge?"

"Wait what? Where did this come from?" Prompto paused the video and looked at you.

"She thinks we know Gladio's new girl." Noctis rolled his eyes.

Your eyes amplified as you turned toward Noctis, "I thought you said they weren't together."

"They aren't." Prompto yelled out. "You're worried for nothing, seriously."

You stood infuriated now. What the fuck were they talking about? Nothing was adding up. Again, it wasn't about Gladio dating again, it was about them lying.

"Don't tell me not to worry Prompto! I have every right to be upset, but not about Gladio. About you two. I thought you guys were my best friends. I thought that 'saving face' shit was behind us. I see where your loyalties lie. I'm sorry our bond wasn't strong enough for you to have my back. I didn't want these last couple weeks to end on a bad note, but here we are!"

You stood up and began to head for the door. Tears welled in your eyes. This wasn't something you imagined would break you, but eventually all of the cracks would alter the wall of your insecurities.

Heading back to grab your shoes, you spoke to them one last time. "I would do anything for you guys, and I would never question having your back. I just wish you felt the same."

As you turned toward the door, you saw it open and behind it stood Ignis. He was immediately thrown by your tears. It was like he wanted to get to the bottom of whatever was going on right then and there.

Placing a hand to his chest, you delicately moved him back a bit so he was out of your way. It was beyond you to make eye contact at this point. Even though you knew he had nothing to do with it, you just couldn't stand to look at any of these boys right now.

Ignis was torn as he didn't know who to confront first. Noctis looked at the blond man and nodded in the direction you went. It was his way of giving the man the green light to chase after you.

You didn't run away because you wanted some to chase you. You left because you often did your best thinking alone. Maybe you were the one being a bad friend for not trusting them... maybe.

"Wait." You heard Ignis call you as you headed to your car.

"Ignis... don't." You waved him off with your hand as you picked up the pace.

"Please. I have never wronged you. Don't shut me out because of another's actions." He stopped walking and his words held you fast as well.

He was totally right. You couldn't turn your back to him. Ignis never hurt you and the least you could do was give him the respect to hear him out.

You turned to the man with reddened eyes. Eyes of woman who had been hurt. To see your melancholy face again up close did some damage to his heart. He hated seeing you upset.

"What do you have to say to me? I'm listening."

He cautiously advanced toward you. "I just want to know what's wrong. What happened up there?"

"I don't wanna talk about it out here. I think I'm done looking crazy for the day." You still managed to throw in an underhanded joke even being downhearted.

Ignis nodded, "Alright then. We can go wherever you'd like, but I need to get to the bottom of this before you both end up doing something regrettable."

.

 **Ignis' Condo : 4:22pm : 16 days**

You were seated on the couch beside Ignis. It was difficult to speak on something you weren't 100 percent sure of. Then again, it was Ignis and you knew you could trust him.

"I've been kind of distant these past couple of weeks." You started; looking forward as you spoke. "I'm sorry for that.. I just don't handle certain things that well."

"What happened?" He asked in a somber tone. Didn't sound like he was trying to pry and that made you relax a bit more.

"I'm gonna sound like some ansty teen in an afternoon drama." You sighed. "I just don't like feeling deceived. I know you've heard this drama about the red head from the cafe, but it's not even about her. It's about Noctis and Prompto saying they don't know her but they keep giving subtle details about her! Just be honest! I can take anything that comes my way! I'm leaving in two weeks! You think I can't take some stupid information about my ex dating a new girl?!"

You didn't mean to yell. Hell, you didn't even mean to raise your voice. Losing it in front of Ignis. It was never not embarrassing. He didn't judge you for the blowups though. He knew tensions were high.

"I made it 18 solid years before Gladiolus Amicitia came around! We dated for what, a few months? That's nothing to get high strung over. It wasn't that big of a deal." You crossed your arms and sank a bit into the couch.

"You don't mean that." Ignis gave you a stern look. "As for this woman, she is much less of a mystery than they're leading on, yes. They probably omitted the truth because they don't know how to tell you who she is in such few words."

"What does that mean?" You uncrossed your arms and sat up attentively.

Ignis sighed, "What you're digging for is not there, however if you keep digging in the same spot you might find something you wish you hadn't. Understand?"

You pondered his words for a minute. What the hell did that mean? It was so surfaced but it made sense at the same time.

"You're right Ignis. I should stop digging. Maybe it's best that I don't know..." You stood up from the couch and suspiciously walked away. "However, I'm not gonna stop digging with you." Your tone turned a bit upbeat.

You walked over to his open bedroom and began to peek in his dressers. You did it partly because you were curious and partly because you wanted to see if he'd get mad for once.

"Come on. Everyone's got a vice Iggy. What's your fix hmm? Porn mags? Porn tapes? Erotica? You got a lock of hair from your high school sweetheart? Do you smoke? You killed a guy? What is it?"

As you were looking you saw his arm reach around you and close the drawer. It was a normal push so you knew he wasn't mad. Of course not. When was he?

"You know it's rude to go through another person's belongings." He remained in close proximity as he spoke.

You turned around and took a half step forward as you looked at the man. The closeness was slightly startling. You didn't mean to close the distance like that, but it was something you often did with the other two boys. This was a little different with Ignis. Hell, you'd roll with it.

"And you should know it's rude to hide things from you friends." You rose your eyebrows, "Not that I need to know every gritty detail of your life, but c'mon. You can trust me. I'm a steel trap."

Ignis shook his head without further words. You weren't going to find out any vice of his. Not today. Maybe it was because he didn't have any. Or perhaps it was because he wanted you to remember him as he was when you left.

"Alright then." You backed away until you reached the edge of his bed.

You took a seat atop it, and it was a bit firm. Of course it was. No wonder he had good posture. He was even sleeping straight.

"Do you mind if I take a nap?" You rubbed your eye, "No tricks. I won't go through any of your things. I promise. I just need a nap. Sleep kinda hit me all at once, you know?" You yawned as you spoke.

"Of course you're welcome, but-" The blonde stopped as you were already getting comfy under the blankets. No guest room for you.

These pillows and this blanket was so nice. With comfort like this you'll be out in no time. Free to leave your traveling mind as it was. So much to resolve in so few days. Either that, or it'd be so much to let go of...

.

 **Ignis' Condo : 6:56pm : 16 days**

You woke up with arms outstretched. That was nice nap, but something told you it'd through off your sleep pattern. You reached for your phone in your pocket and saw you had a couple of missed texts. The boys could never let you stay mad at them.

A conversation with Ignis mixed in with some well deserved sleep did wonders because you weren't mad. You didn't even think about it really. All you thought about was Prompto's sad face in the text he just sent you, and Noctis inviting you out for an apologetic dinner. Well, while everyone was on their apology tour you figured it was best you did it to.

Ignis entered the room and sat at the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel okay. Well rested. Mind cleared." You nodded with a light smile.

Your arms reached for the man and pulled him into a hug. He was always caught off guard by your hugs even if he didn't show it externally.

"Thank you Ignis." You felt his arms reciprocate, "I feel so at ease every time we-"

Your words stopped into somewhat of a choke as you saw Gladio in the doorway. That was some next level ninja shit, because you didn't hear him at all. Usually at Noct's place he barges right in. Then again so do you. Maybe there was a thing about Ignis' home that made everyone naturally be more quiet? No, he had to have been there already? Right?

"Sorry, I left my phone." The larger man spoke with a bit of gristle in his voice; his eyebrows slightly knitted, "I'll see you two later then?"

"Of course." Ignis nodded.

You didn't say anything. You were still trying to figure out why he was here. Saying he left his phone implies that he was hanging out over here, but the fact that he seemed a little surprised meant that Ignis didn't tell him you were here?

You waited for him to leave before asking, "Did he know I was here?"

The man stood back up, "Yes."

"Then what the fuck?" You blurted out. "I mean- sorry. I'll see you- er- I gotta head back to my hotel. Thank you so much for letting me stay over."

You hurried out of the bed and made way for the door.

.

 **The Insomnian Window : 7:35pm : 14 days**

A couple of days had passed, and although you were talking to Noctis and Promoto again, they still insisted on that apology dinner. That's where you all agreed to really hash out any feelings you had. Today was that day, and instead of getting emotional, you decided you'd just express yourself rationally and then move on.

You sat at in a booth with a circular sectional. This would be good so everyone could see everyone. Of course they had you in the middle. Probably so you couldn't run away. Not that you had intended to.

So far the conversation was going well. It was common for friends to argue and at the core of you it was a reminder that you were alive.

"I just want to apologize... again." You sighed, "Maybe I took it too far, but it just seemed like you guys were withholding information and taking sides. My feelings were hurt."

Prompto placed a hand on your shoulder, "It's fine. You just need to remember that we would never set you up for failure. We got your back."

The prince nodded in agreement, "Right... unless we're watching a horror movie. No budging there squirt."

You shook your head at his sarcastic comment and laughed alongside the boys. The chuckles and fun however ceased as you saw Gladio and Ignis walk over to your table. Looked like there would be some unexpected company joining you.

The surprised expression on your face was far from hidden as they walked up.

"Oh. Hey guys. I didn't know you'd be joining us. You guys carpool?" You spoke curiously.

You scooted further down toward Noctis and Prompto came toward you; Ignis was beside him and Gladio was on the end.

"As much as it would seem that way, we did not." Ignis looked across the table at you, "More of a coincidence really."

You picked up a mozzarella stick and continued to eat, "Feel free to eat anything we've ordered. There's a lot of it. Though I'm sure you'll take a pass on our greasy food won't you Iggy?" You chuckled.

The man shrugged, "It's not all bad."

"What?!" Noctis blurted out almost instantly, "Anytime I eat like this you scold me for it."

Prompto hastily chimed in, "Special privilege to the apprentice. You said it yourself Noct."

"What? That is such bullshit. I get scolded." You nodded.

Noctis scoffed, "I get scolded for stuff like vegetables. You get scolded stuff like not complimenting yourself enough."

"Whoa, whoa. What? That's totally untrue." You shook your head before taking a bite of a potato skin.

You chewed slower than normal as your eyebrows knit from you thinking about what was said. Okay so maybe Ignis didn't ever scold you, but there had to at least be one incident where you disagreed?

"Oh!" You slammed your hand on the table with little added force. "That time I-" You stopped short as you realized him telling you that you used too much salt did not qualify as him bitching at you.

Your shoulders came up for an extended shrug, "Well, guess we're just two peas in a pod. Is that what you guys wanna hear?

From that comment you could hear a subtle sneer come from Gladio. The hell was his deal? He had been rather quiet this evening. You supposed you should extend to him an olive branch... for your own sanity.

"How have... You been Gladiolus?" You cringed at your own words. You couldn't make that sound more awkward if you tried. And why did you call him by his full name?!

"Busy." He glanced up at you.

There was a dead silence at the table. It was ghastly. You could hear a pin drop if it weren't for the other guests chatting away. Didn't mean that the frigidness between you two was any less cold.

"I... need to use the bathroom!" Prompto blurted out.

"Yeah same here." Noctis nodded as he got up.

You scooted out so you could let Prompto through. Seemed like he was in a rush to get out of there.

Ignis being the perceptive man he was decided to join the two. "I do believe I should do the same."

Ohhh you saw what was going on here. They wanted you to talk with Gladio and work things out for the good of the group. Sure. You'd bite.

You waited until everyone left before speaking, "So you've been busy huh? Doing what? Like work or something?"

Gladio paused once again, "I..." He'd hesitate. "Are you and Ignis..?"

Your eyes must have looked huge upon hearing his response. Your fingers fidgeted in your lap as you had to refrain from acting. You wanted to slap him or throw your drink at him.

Your eyebrows bore down into a frown, "Yes. Ignis and I have been indulging in the greatest sex of our lives and we kept it under wraps because we're filthy sex addicts."

You could see his face relax a bit as he heard your sarcastic tone.

Reaching across the table you placed a finger to his forehead and pushed slightly back. "What are you stupid? You know two people can be close without wanting to get into each other's pants, right? Even if I was it wouldn't be any of your business."

You took a sip of the lemonade before you. There was a long pause before you looked up with vindictive eyes.

"Who's the ginger Gladiolus? She's cute I see why you'd choose her as a rebound. If you ask me she's a bit to hung up on your past though. Guess it's fair to be intimidated by someone like me." You shrugged.

The man frowned at your words; his mind still processing them. "Wait, what? How do you know about..." A subtle but quick smirk adorned his face, "What about her?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering how things were going with her." You looked away from the man as you subconsciously drew circles in the table with your finger.

"She's been amazing-everything I've hoped for and more. I can honestly say she's the best I ever had. Anything else?" His voice remained straightened as he looked at you.

Your fist clenched, "Nope. Cool. Glad you're happy." You said as you rolled your eyes with sharp sigh.

"Are you?" He asked; his eyes still studying your face.

You looked away from your food and into the eyes of Gladio. If looks could kill he'd be dead right now. What kind of question was that? If he was going to go out of his way to get a rise out of you, then you'd make it your mission to follow through.

"Gladiolus... shut the fuck up!" Your voice rose a bit, and those who were sitting near you quieted down. You weren't loud enough to make a total scene however.

"You can't keep sitting here with that smug ass look on your face and act like nothing is wrong. Fuck you! First I come home and you treat me like shit. Then you treat me like a basic ass friend but you still sneak around to see other people. I'm leaving in 2 weeks! If you felt so guilty about dating then you could just wait until I leave. Stop parading this girl around and introducing her to everyone but me. Either you have feelings for me still or you don't! Make up you fucking mind, because the fact of the matter is, I still do!"

You were damning yourself internally for saying that, but one way or another it would come out.

His eyes widened by your words, "I'm not dating anyone. You've got your facts wrong. She's someone I hired to do something special for you! But just like you told me, even if I was dating it wouldn't be any of your business."

What? Someone he hired? There was no way. That excuse was too convenient.

"I don't want to be your enemy... but I realized that I can't just be your friend either." You grit your teeth as you picked up your pursed and scooted out from the booth, "Excuse me."

As you were headed outside, you walked past the rest of the gang and they could tell you were upset. From the look in your eyes they could see that you didn't want to be followed. It never really stopped them before, but they figured they should ask Gladio what happened first before you chewed their heads off.

Tears pooled in your eyes as you thought about this situation. What the hell? Why did you show your full hand? Why did you tell him that? Guess you were honest two a fault. Two more weeks and you still didn't have your stuff together.

You stopped when you reached the alleyway of the restaurant. This was such a bad idea. Why did he have to come to this stupid apology dinner? It had nothing to do with him.

Your back was pressed against the wall, and your head faced downward. With your hair covering the sides of your face, you were at least content with the fact that passersby couldn't see your face.

It was then that you heard footsteps approaching you. You didn't give it much thought until those steps stopped right before you. You felt hands reach for either side of your face, and lips press against yours.

It was passionate and lengthy. One hand moved from your cheek to the back of your head to bring you closer. You welcomed this intimacy, but it also took everything in you to pull away. You knew this touch all too well.

"What are you doing?!" You barked at the man.

Gladio pulled away, but just enough so that he was still close to you. "Can we cut the shit now?"

You shook your head with a gloomy whisper, "There's not enough time."

The man balled up his fist, "We never had time… but it didn't stop me from falling in love with you."

You looked up at him; your hands reaching to hold his face. You'd lean in and press a tender kiss to his lips. Pulling back, you'd stare in his eyes before speaking.

"I have 14 days left. You better treat them like gold." You voice remained stern.

Gladio nodded, "I will."


	38. Last Dance

**Apartment : 2:59pm : 9 days**

You were lounging around with the boys on Noct's couch with your phone in your hand and your feet kicked up. A wide smile adorned your face as you twirled the ends of your hair. There was something about the sun that made you feel so much better than you did at night. Instead of worrying, you were actually thinking of something fun to do with the boys. Didn't have to be some big event, but just hanging out.

After those finals, you definitely needed to blow off some steam.

"What are you smiling at?" Prompto looked at you from his reclined position in the seat beside you. "Gladio sending you nudes from work again? Oooooh!"

You lifted up hastily, "Guess again! What kind of cretin's do you think we are?" You hailed sarcastically. "Actually I was looking at our old photos from first year. Ughhh! I thought I was so cool back then."

Noctis' eyes widened, "What? Let me see that."

The two boys sat on each side of you and looked at the pictures you had in your phone.

"How do you still have these?" Prompto cringed at the sight of his old self.

"Kept them all on my laptop and downloaded them to this site. I can give you guys the link. These are great. I'm gonna send it right now." You laughed mercilessly.

You wiped the tear from the corner of your eye as these pictures were absolutely mortifying. Laughing at pictures was all well and good, but you still wanted to find something to do today, even if it was just watch tv at the apartment.

"What do you guys wanna do today?" You looked over at each of them. "Hang out here? Go out?"

"Actually..." Noctis stood up from the couch, stretching his back as he did. "I need to get a suit."

Prompto narrowed his eyes, "You need to get a suit? Aren't you the prince? I thought they had those things custom made for you already."

The raven haired boy nodded, "They do. Well, to be more clear I need to get fitted for a suit."

"Why?" You frowned, "That's really weird."

"Not really." The prince shrugged, "It's my birthday in 2 months. Guess it's gonna be some big event marking adulthood or something like that. I don't know. Are you guys coming or not?"

Two months in advance for a suit? Those royal tailors must have been using the finest materials or something because that was totally unheard of. Here you thought if the royals ordered something they'd have it done yesterday. Guess not. Whatever, at least it would give you all something to do.

.

 **Tailor : 3:33pm : 9 days**

This place was absolutely lush! It was like a spa, but it was just the tailors. You could swear that everything in here was encrusted with diamonds. There were long isles on each side of the shop. One side had dresses, and the other side had suits. They were all so beautiful. This was definitely something you could see yourself saving up to buy 3 years ago. Absolutely insane.

You continued to browse as Noctis was getting fitted and ironing out the details of his suit. The soles of your school shoes clicked against the floor as you continued downward. They were hard to hear over the elegant classical music however.

Just as you were turning right to look at the dresses once again, you noticed a gown on display. It was off the shoulders and ever so gawdy. A black lace long sleeve evening dress. It was embroidered with black beads, and the underside was a flesh toned layer that made the darkness of the dress pop even more. It was breathtaking. Whoever was buying that would be a lucky person.

"You like it?" The tailor that was working with Noctis asked you as she went to get a photo book from behind her desk.

"Yeah, it's gorgeous." You nodded as you continued to gaze. "Is it for an event, or a wedding or something?"

The woman nabbed the book and headed back to where the prince was-stopping at your side first. "More of a passion project by Elie Saab. If you like it I can tailor it to your fitting."

Your head shook, "Oh, no, no. I don't have much of a need for beautiful gowns I'm afraid. But it's so gorgeous, I know that someone will take this off your hands in no time."

"Why not you?" The prince rose an eyebrow.

Why not you? He knew damn well why. What would be the point of buying something so beautiful just to wear it around the hotel maybe once or twice before you leave and never see it again? Great plan Noctis.

"Nowhere to go." You replied simply.

"We'll take you out." Prompto halfway shouted from across the room.

"Dinner again?" You chuckled, "You guys spoil me." Your eyes directed back to the dress, "Still, I don't want to wear this once and never again. I would feel horrible."

The tailor offered you a wide grin before making her way back to Noctis, "Oh please. That's how expensive gowns work unfortunately. We wear them one time for some big event and then put them in a garment bag in the back of our closet to collect dust for eternity. I hope what I said about it being a passion project wasn't off putting to you."

It was difficult to tell if the woman was making a hard sale or if she genuinely thought you should have the dress. Maybe a bit of both. You didn't want to let the boys down, so sure. You'd oblige.

"Alright, I'll take it then." You smiled softly as you looked at the dress.

This would hurt your pockets, and you knew it. Not only was it made by Elie Saab, it was one of a kind, and it would need tailoring. Luckily money wasn't a thing you'd have to worry about for much longer. This would be a nice parting gift for yourself.

"It's on me." Noctis replied almost instantly.

"Noctis." You incidentally inhaled a sharp gasp. "No, you don't have to."

"You really do have a hard time accepting expensive gifts." Prompto shook his head.

"Don't you?" You replied with a frown. "I feel like I'm in debt or something."

The prince shook his head, "No debts, no favors. Consider it a going away present."

Well, when he put it that way it didn't seem so bad. "Alright then. Noctis, Prompto. Consider it a date.

.

 **Hotel Insomnia : 7:22pm : 7 days**

A final dinner. Seemed so unfitting to have a final dinner a week before you left. That was more of a last day type of thing. Well, guess when you really thought about it, it did make sense. You'd be using the rest of this week to spread your time equally with everyone. If you waited until later, there probably wouldn't be any time at all.

Your black heels clicked against the tiled floor of the bathroom as you made your way to the bedroom. You figured if you were going to wear this dramatic dress, you may as well go all out.

Your face was dolled up with a deep red eye shadow pulled together with a lovely wing, highlights to bring a nice shimmer to your face, and the dramatic look all set with your black lipstick. Hair down, and nails painted. You figured going acrylic wasn't a good idea. You'd rather not break them on your way to Niflheim in a few days.

You coyly entered the room with your two best friends sitting on the edge of the bed. "Too much? Do I look like an evil queen?" You chuckled nervously.

"You look beautiful!" Prompto jumped up from the bed in his black tux. "Evil? No. Queen? Yes!" He'd link arms on your right side.

Noctis stood up and offered you his arm on your right side, "Always gotta outshine us, don't you squirt?"

"Oh please!" You laughed as the three of you headed out, "You guys look fantastic! I'm just a blip in comparison."

The three of you laughed. You found yourself drawing them in just a bit closer. It was nice to feel them next to you. You swore you'd keep this position well into the dinner. They made you feel comfortable and safe. Of course that was unrealistic though.

You soon found yourself packing into the car and chatting about how excited you were to eat fancy food. Considering the fact that you were usually the one to take Noctis to the gritty hole in the wall places, it was never not exciting when you got to eat fancy with he and Prompto; someone who can share your excitement.

You looked out the window from the front seat, taking in the tall skyscrapers of downtown Insomnia. This place was amazing. Even more so now than you'd ever thought.

"I love you guys." You spoke with a faint smile on your face.

"We love you too." Prompto replied hastily.

You felt the hand of the prince reach over to touch your knee, "Getting sentimental on me again."

You shook your head with a smile, "Still can't say it, huh? You never have been the mushy type. You'll say it one of these... 7 days." You snickered at your own snide comment.

Noctis exhaled with smirk. "We're here."

The three of you exited after pulling up to the valet. The restaurant you'd be eating at was a favorite of the royals and other local celebrities. Dining in the sky atop one of Insomnia's tallest skyscrapers. Not a bad way to go out.

The three of you entered and immediately went to the elevators. This place felt like a museum with the high ceilings and art on the walls. So gorgeous.

The solid doors closed and you looked at yourself in the mirrored walls. "Am I gonna get up there and everyone is wearing jeans and a t-shirt?"

"So what if they are?" Noctis kept his arms crossed as he quickly glanced at himself in the mirror.

"Yeah, who cares? Besides, don't you want to stand out?" The freckled boy nudged you. "I know you secretly like the attention."

You grinned as you turned to lightly shove the boy, "Oh stop. I don't like the attention... I love it." You teased. "I'm not the only one! You love it t-"

Your words were halted at the elevator doors opened and your skin was kissed by the suns golden hour. You were all the way at the top, and the place was beautiful. The restaurant was outside of course, and it was vast.

There were hanging lights and plants and a bar and... you couldn't even process it all. There was so much to look at as Noctis checked the three of you in. There was just one thing bothering you.

"Why is no one here? Did you reserve this whole place?" You turned toward Noctis, "Even with it being so expensive, I'd imagine-"

"Why don't you look again squirt?" Noctis pointed.

You turned again and saw a room packed with people. They were all standing and applauding. Your hands covered your mouth as you saw them all. It was a surprise... for you. Everyone you knew was here, even your dog.

You saw Gladio approach you dressed in an all black tux; the collar embellished with black beads similar to the ones on your dress. Perhaps it was to match you? Clearly Noctis and Prompto told him and they probably planned this together.

"Holy shit!" You turned to the prince with your hands still covering your mouth, "You did all this?"

The boy shook his head, "Not me."

Your focal point now shifted back to Gladio who's arms were now shrouding you. "You did this?" Seemed like those were the only words you could truly speak until you got answers.

"Do you like it?" He nodded.

"I love it so much. I wasn't expecting this at all." You wrapped your arms around him and gave a tight embrace.

Your eyes drifted until you saw Ignis. He was waiting politely for his chance to approach. Always the gentleman now wasn't he? You sometimes just wished he'd take the initiative on these things.

"Get over here!" You beckoned the man over.

Pulling away from Gladio, you'd now wrap your arms around Ignis, "Guess this is you getting me back for your party, huh?"

He'd nod, "Though I'd say the payout for this one was much more rewarding."

"Hey!" You looked around as you heard someone call to you.

There was Iris all dressed up and ready to give you a hug. For some reason her embrace felt the most genuine. Not that anyone here would fake emotions with you, but this just felt like a small sibling's love. You were happy that she was here. It made the event feel complete.

"Hey Iris." You held the girl tighter, "I still think we've got one more nail appointment before I leave, okay?"

You still weren't sure whether Gladio told her the truth about your departure, but you were at least glad that you did. Lying was not the note you wanted to leave on with her or anyone.

You spoke out now to the other guests, both classmates and people you met through the boys.

"Thank you all so much for this event. I honestly wasn't expecting this at all. Let's all eat, drink, and enjoy the time we've got!"

A cheer circulated through the crowd, and you knew this was going to be an amazing night.

.

 **Sky Dining : 9:28pm : 7 days**

"So I'm on the freeway doing like 120 on the shoulder thinking this is do or die. I'm talking action movie type shit. Then when I get there he tells me I'm late. I was so pissed!"

You sat now before a fire pit as you told your story about Cor to the quartet along with some of the Glaives who were able to make it.

"That's pretty hardcore. I'm not surprised you went off." Nyx laughed at your retelling of the story.

You began to laugh as well. Just recalling that stupid story was so annoyingly hilarious. Of course... that laughter halted as your peripheral eye caught someone. Long red hair, hourglass figure, freckled face. What the hell was she doing here? Maybe it was obvious, but you couldn't take your eyes off of her. It was an immediate mood killer.

Gladio's eyes rose to the woman beside you from his seated position. He didn't seem worried about it at all.

The man waited for her to approach before speaking, "Glad you could make it." He smiled at her, "This is my girlfriend." He gestured to you.

She smiled, "Ah, the one Gladdy has told me so much about. You are far too gorgeous to be hanging around this slob."

The tall man rolled his eyes, "Anyway, this is the woman that made all of this possible. From booking this place all the way down to the centerpieces on each table."

"Party planning is what I do." She spoke in a cheeky manner. "Trust me when I say he had full control over everything." She placed her hand by her mouth as if to tell you a secret, "He will never admit this, but he was so particular about this event. He even bailed on me once because he didn't think it was coming together correctly. I swear we've worked on this party since the beginning of time. So when you get the chance, show him a little gratitude."

The woman nudged you playfully, "You've got a good one girl. Have fun."

You sat now completely dumbfounded. So that's why everyone was acting so weird around you. She was planning this event for you. They couldn't say anything or it would give the surprise away. Ah, that made sense. You felt so silly now.

"I-I'm so sorry everyone." You looked around, "I need to talk to Gladio in private for a moment if that's okay."

The two of you stood up and walked over to a vacant part of the rooftop. You stood there looking into his amber eyes with a faux look of discontent on your face.

"She was planning this shit the whole time? I feel like a goddman fool." You laughed through your sigh.

"Don't think you're off the hook. I heard that story, and I know you lied to me about training that day."

You smirked as your head cocked slightly to the right, "Whatcha gonna do big guy?" Your hand reached out to run against his bicep, "Can't deny it. I've been looking at you in this tux all night. It fits a little too well to your build."

He looked down at you with a hidden grin, "I've been looking at you looking at me. You keep batting those eyes at me and I can't promise you there will be no retaliation."

Your hand made its way up to his neck where you'd pull him down so that his ear was beside your lips, "I'll take my punishment however it may come."

Your tongue traced the edge of his ear before your teeth latched on to his earlobe. You pulled back just a bit before releasing.

Backing away, you were smug. You knew you had the upper hand on this one. To be honest, you kind of wanted that punishment now, but you figured it would be fun to let him stew in his feelings for a minute.

Walking back over to the party, your wide grin was everlasting. Your eyes spotted Ignis and as you approached the song had changed. Hmm, that reminded you of last time.

"Iggy!" You plopped down next to the man.

Before you could speak, the man beat you to the punch. "May I have this dance?"

Your eyes widened with excitement, "Of course."

The two of you walked over to the crowded dance floor, and although there were so many people, you felt like it was just you two.

You hands were on his shoulders and his was at your waist. It was nice just swaying around like this with no pressure. It felt so natural.

"When I see you again..." You looked into the man's eyes. "You better have a kick ass hypothetical waiting for me."

The man chuckled, "Not to worry, I will."

"I want that real grit. Nothing surfaced like 'would you rather have loved and lost or to never have loved?'"

"I think I'd rather have loved and lost." The man nodded contently.

"No. That was just an example. I mean- wait, what?" It was strange that he actually answered the example question. "So you think having loved before and then lost that love is better than never loving in the first place?"

The blond man nodded, "I do. Having felt that love is much better than living without its existence. Even if it's gone, you'll still have that memory."

"Are you saying this from a thought process or actual experience?"

Before the man could reply, you found yourself backing up and stepping on the foot of another guest. You would've fell to the ground if it wasn't for Ignis' grip. Your hands clasped his jacket, and you seemed to have caused a domino effect.

Everyone on the dance floor either bumped into or tripped over someone. That lead to one of the servers tripping and spilling a tray full red wine. Luckily it was just one glass that drenched the sleeve of your dress.

Thankfully the dress was black, but the flesh toned underside was what you worried about.

"Are you alright?" Ignis asked you with worry in his voice-grabbing the handkerchief from his pocket as he did.

"I'm fine. It's okay. No worries. I just need to clean up in the bathroom really quick."

You wanted to get it done quickly so that you could get back to the party without your guests having to worry.

Hastily you slipped past the crowd and made your way back to the lobby. Turning right down a long hallway, and there was the ladies room.

Goodness, this bathroom probably cost more money than the selling price of your house. There was a chandelier in here! There were vessel sinks shaped like seashells! There were mints in a crystal bowl!

You looked at yourself in the mirror, and for the first time in so long you saw yourself as truly happy. Your gaze dipped low to the sleeve of your dress, and there was the wine. Wasn't too much, so it wouldn't be too bad. Seemed like you always had bad luck with drinks at parties.

"Sweet!" You grinned. You weren't sure what kind of material this was, but this wine was definitely coming out.

You scrubbed away at the stain until it was nearly gone. A smile adorned your face until suddenly you felt the presence of someone behind you. That wasn't possible. You would have heard the door open. Certainly, however, it was.

You were left breathless as you felt two hands grip your waist and pull you back. Looking up, you could see the deviously hungry eyes of Gladiolus. Either he was being really quiet, or this sink was really loud.

He moved the hair back and away from your neck before laying his lips in its place. All you could do was gasp at the feeling. His hands traveled up your waist to your breasts; grasping them in his hands.

"What if someone walks in?" You rose your hand to grab the back of his neck.

"I locked the door." He grinned before turning you around to face him. He was so rough with his movements; like he'd was taking this punishment thing seriously.

Gladio leaned down to kiss your lips. His kiss was eager and dominating. His tongue ran against your bottom lip before entering your mouth. In the manner his hand searched the back of your gown you could tell he wanted to find the zipper and undress you.

"Don't even think about it." You moved his hand away. "Clothes on. I have a party to get back to."

"I won't leave anything visible." He grinned as he backed slightly away so he could remove his jacket and place it on the sink beside you.

The man caught you off guard as he moved in again to reclaim your lips. His hands moved to pull up the fabric of your dress. Clothes on hmm? This would be quick yet passionate.

As he bunched up the fabric you could hear the beads on your dress clanking against one another. Your legs were being hit now by the cool air, and your lips bruised by this rough kiss.

"Still wearing lingerie hm?" He spoke breathily between kisses.

"What? You thought I was just doing that for you? Makes me feel good. You know that."

His hands grabbed the back of your thighs, allowing him to pick you up in one swift movement. You gasped from the sudden shock. Your arms draped over the back of his neck, and you began to put pressure as you pulled down to get closer.

The man looked at you in the mirror for just a moment before stiffening up and pulling way back. "What the fuck? Prompto?"

You squirmed in his grasp as you attempted to cover yourself. "Where?!"

The tall man paused for a moment before looking back at you disappointingly, "On your ass! Is there something you wanna tell me?"

Oh right! You had that damn thing so long you forgot it as there. The longest Gladio had only ever saw it that one time in your partially lit room. Wasn't something you flaunted because you wanted to keep up that lie.

"I uh... may have lost a bet..." You spoke to him now in a somewhat baby tone. "Don't be mad."

You moved one hand down in between the two of you until it found his crotch. "If you're mad at me then I can't help you with this."

"I'm not mad at you. But we're gonna have to switch positions." He paused as he set you back down. "...If I'm going to punish you properly."

"Punish me?" Your words barely made it out of your mouth before you felt his hands roughly turn you around.

You could feel his vigor as he leaned you over the counter-holding your arms behind your back with his hand. The draped material of your dress was being pulled up again. His other hand gripped your hip to position you before releasing. It was then that you could hear the clinking sound of his belt becoming undone.

"Gladiolus!" Your voice rose as you felt him pull your red lace panties down your thighs.

Beyond your shocked reaction, you did nothing to stop him. Foreplay was always much better for getting you in the mood, but considering the circumstances, you were pretty revved up already.

His hand ran against your womanhood. He wanted to spread your wetness before entering you. The feeling of his finger gliding against your clitoris even for a moment made you shiver. Of course he caught that. Why wouldn't he?

"Didn't take very much to get you wet." He arched his eyebrow.

Your eyes met his in the mirror momentarily, "It's been a while since I've been touched, oka- Shit!"

The words you spoke were cut off by swears and moans as you felt the man insert two fingers inside of you. He was knelt down and his teeth sunk into your upper thigh. With his teeth biting so hard onto the back of your leg, you knew you wouldn't be able to sit without there being a little sting for the next couple of days.

You released a particularly airy moan as his fingers curled and his pace quickened. You didn't want to make a lot of noise just in case people passing by might hear. You found you orgasm building quick. It had been so long since you got off. Masturbation wasn't even an option at this point because so many other things were on your mind.

Before your climax reached, Gladio pulled out of you, making you grown in frustration. He rose to his full height once more, and you knew there was no need to protest. He wanted you just as bad.

You could feel his cock pressing at your entrance, and again, it was a little nerve wracking. His left hand still pinned your arms, while the right grabbed onto your hip.

As he slowly entered you, your muscles began to clench. He released a moan and it was music to your ears. It was nice to hear him react even if now wasn't a good time to be loud.

He wasn't as gentle with you now as he was the first time. The grip of his hand clutching your wrists, and his quick deep thrusts filling you up each time.

"Fuck!" You yelled before biting your bottom lip.

This was not how you expected your night to go by a long shot. First a surprise party, and now you're getting fucked in a bathroom trying your best not to smear your makeup.

A creak sounded at the door, and it was a reminder that the two of you were still in publicl; be it a person or not.

Gladio loosened his grip for just a moment, and it was all you needed to break free.

You grabbed his hand and guided it in between your legs. Your hand was still atop of his own as he rubbed against your sensitive clit. Each motion bringing you closer and closer to your release.

It still took everything in you not to make much noise. Your hand now moved away and placed on the countertop; frustratingly wanting to grip something to no avail.

Your walls were contracting around the man, and you could hear his moans becoming untamed. Your orgasm came, and the ecstasy of being with the man you loved made it that much more sensual.

"Shit." Gladio grunted as he was close to cumming.

You found yourself on the cusp of another orgasm as well. It was frustrating. You wanted more than a quickie, but hell you figured you'd make up for it later on at the hotel.

"I'm so close." His grip tightened at your sides and you knew it was just a matter of seconds.

If he was going to cum, he'd have to do it in a place that wouldn't get messy. You would offer your mouth to finish the job, but the chances of it messing up your make up was far too high.

Suddenly you felt his warm seed coat your insides. You'd be pissed if you weren't back on the pill.

You unleashed a loud moan as did he upon cumming inside you. He'd lean over on top of you and just stay for a moment; giving kisses to your shoulder blade.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too... but I also hate you for making me clean up now."

"Do you want me to wait for you?" The man glanced up to meet your eyes in the mirror.

"So our little disappearance can lead to suspicion? No. But I hope you know I won't forget this."

"Oh, you think you're gonna punish me now? I'm still not done punishing you for that little tattoo of yours." He gave you another kiss before backing away. "I'll save that for later. Right now I'll just kill Prompto instead."

"If you lay a finger on him I will murder you Amicitia." You chucked.

He decided it was best to tidy up a bit before heading back out. The excuse he used was that you became a little sick but you'd be alright. A fine excuse for those who didn't know you very well, but for the ones that did, a good guess made them believe otherwise.

Out you went and enjoyed every second of this party. There were no troubling thoughts or mind bending prophecies. You were living in the moment with your friends. Each of these last seven days you would cherish and spend them with the people you loved most.

It was such a high feeling that the point of coming down was nowhere in sight. Nowhere it sight, however, that didn't mean it wasn't lurking from the shadows.


	39. No Turning Back

**Hotel Insomnia : 2:47am : 1 day**

You gazed out the window of your hotel room. A hazy mist surrounded the city at this hour. It was hard to see the buildings in the distance considering the fog. Mesmerizing, but also somewhat isolating.

You saw the faint reflection of your dimly lit hotel room in the window, and a body rising from your plush bed.

The lips of Gladio caressed the side of your jaw, and you rose you hand to the back of his neck; pulling him closer.

"What are you still doing up? You okay?" He spoke in a deep, early morning tone.

"No." You whispered; allowing your hand to slide down to his stubbly cheek.

You turned you head toward him so your foreheads touched. You held the position for a moment with your eyelids delicately shut.

"What's going on?" He asked, breaking the silence in a somber tone.

You opened your eyes and looked at the man before you. "I... I've never stopped being terrified. In my mind I always thought I would have it together by this point, but I don't... and even less because I'm crossing this bridge without my aunt."

Gladio knelt beside you and kept the eye contact. "You might never shake that feeling, and that's okay, because you are strong. You will never crack under pressure, and even though your aunt has passed, you still have me. You still have Noctis, Iggy, and Prompto. We might not be there physically, but just know that we are all behind you. You will never be truly alone in this world, and I hope you can rest easy knowing that."

You wrapped your arms around the man, holding him tightly. If only you had the will to call it quits and lead a normal life. No, that was one thing you wouldn't bend on. As terrified as you were, you were the Champion, and it was a title you held higher than all else. As much as you wanted to stay, your will and conviction to leave was much stronger.

"Let's go to bed." You spoke, releasing the man and making your way to the bed.

You pulled the blanket back and settled in place; facing the window. The bed dipped in a bit as Gladio lay beside you. His arm comforted you and pulled you closer; draping around you like a sign of protection. There it was, that safe feeling of his embrace once again. Everlasting bliss you'd call it.

Although your body felt relaxed, inside you were screaming. Your eyes still looking out the window without a hint of tiredness. Minutes felt like hours, and you were certain you'd remain this way until sunrise.

.

 **Hotel Insomnia : 10:04am : 1 day**

As reluctant as he was, Gladio had to leave for work a couple hours prior. He knew you were dedicating this day to Noctis and Prompto however. He felt content leaving you in their hands. That's why they were there as soon as he left. Even the prince was early to rise for such an occasion.

"You ready squirt?" Noctis sat at the edge of your bed. His eyes were locked on you as you continued to look out of the window.

"Of course..." You nodded, "Just taking one last glance before I turn in my card."

Somehow turning in this hotel key was a lot more difficult than moving out of your house. Guess it was because you couldn't wait to get out of a place filled with so many memories. That, and you knew you'd have another place to go. With this... with this you were giving up your key and essentially becoming homeless.

"Let's go." You turned away and walked toward the door.

You shut the front door for the last time and didn't look back. If you had, tears may have streamed right then and there. You felt an arm come around you and a kiss plant on your temple.

Looking to your left you smiled at Prompto. Faux, but believable. You knew he was trying to make you feel better, and you'd not bring down his mood. Hell, he was probably just as sad.

Going down to the lobby, you turned in your key card exhaled deeply. This was goodbye to Hotel Insomnia. Lucky for you saying goodbye to Insomnia as a whole wasn't until later. Right now the three of you packed into your car and drove it to a place you knew would make you happy... well, less sad.

The car ride was quiet, and it was a silence you could appreciate.

You exhaled as the three of you continued to sit in silence. The days... although they seemed to tumble away, this one still seemed very distant. It was hard to put words to any of this. By this time tomorrow you'd be long gone.

"It's crazy." Prompto started and the two of you perked up. "We all became so close in such a short amount of time. It feels unreal."

"I went from being a bullied foreigner to the luckiest girl in the world." You smiled. "I fucking jumped into the prince's car window! Do you know how many people don't believe that story? Sounds made up, so I guess I can understand why."

"Stranger than fiction." Noctis chuckled.

"I don't want this to be a sad thing. This day, I mean." You sat up and looked at the boys. "I want this to be... a time stamp. Because, truth be told, I haven't been able to shake the self doubt. So if I leave here on an upsetting note, that's all I will be able to think about."

"What should we do then?" Prompto faced you. "Movies? Amusement park? Beach?"

You shook your head, "No, this is fine. I love hanging out. It's just, I wanna do it with a smile on my face."

That request was asking a lot. It was hard to smile after the days you opened up about your future, let alone the actual last day.

There was a pause that was soon broken by the prince. "Are you going to see Luna again?"

It wasn't even a question you personally considered. You figured you would just go straight to Niflheim. Besides, Tenebrae wasn't a place you wanted to see again.

"No." You shook your head. "Visiting last time got my aunt killed. I won't risk it."

Your eyes looked into his as you placed your hand on his shoulder. A thought crossed your mind. "Luna. She promised me refuge if I were to ever make it back out. If I get the opportunity, you'll be the first to know."

"I look forward to that message squirt."

It was a shame really. Time always seemed to shoot forward at a light speed when you didn't want it to. Felt like you three had just began to hang out, yet here you were watching the blanket of a dark Spring night tuck away the sun one last time.

You could honestly say you didn't regret a second of it. You were terrified, but ready. Cor discussed your future plans. Your friends got in their final hangout time, but now there was one final quartet you had to say goodbye to.

.

 **Maple Leaf Park : 2:45am : 0 days**

"I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. This meant everything to me." You spoke to the four as you packed just a few carry along items into your trunk.

As you went to close it, Gladio's hand reached past you and shut it. The two of you just gazed at one another with a smile on your faces. Relishing each other's company one last time.

He wrapped his arms around you held you tightly, "I'm gonna miss you so much. I love you babydoll." He whispered before kissing the top of your head.

"I love you so much." You squeezed him back.

The embrace of the man wasn't something you ever wanted to end, but of course it would. You still had to say goodbye to the other three.

Looking up, you gave him a deep kiss. No hint of sadness. Just passion and love.

Backing away, you turned to Prompto. "My husband!" You squealed.

Probably an interesting choice of words to use in front of Gladio considering he never had a proper chat with Prompto over your tattoo.

The blond squeezed you with every bit of his strength. "Things will never be the same without The Great Anak."

You chuckled, "I know, but we gotta be strong, okay?" Your voice lowered so that only he could hear you, "I'm a survivor. Remember that, please."

You felt it was something you needed to tell him directly. Coming out to him first about your big Nifilheim secret was the most candid you ever were about the situation. Back then you told him you weren't sure if you were going to die. It was important that you reassured him that you would live.

Letting go, you smiled at the boy. You were confident in what you said.

You knelt down beside him and hugged your bloodhound. "Benedict! I'm leaving you in good hands, okay? You be a good girl. Keep my boys in line alright?"

You gave her a long kiss on her head before giving her a few more pets.

Walking down just a bit more, you looked up at Ignis. You had so much to thank him for.

"Thank you." Your eyes widened as Ignis once again stole the words right from your mouth. "You've done more for me than I can give gratitude for."

You shook your head, "Impossible. You taught me a lot, and you've been there for me even when I didn't ask for it. You're amazing. You do know that, right?"

The two of you embraced, and for the last time you wondered what would have happened had Ignis perused you first. This would have been much harder. You could see yourself not wanting to leave, but Ignis convincing you to do so anyway. Would have been an interesting life.

You backed away and smiled before moving to the final and toughest goodbye.

"Noctis Lucis Caelum." You shook your head with a smirk.

The prince opened his mouth to speak your name as you did, but before he could get a single sound out you put your finger to his lips.

"Don't you dare copy me." You chucked. "Be original prince."

Your hand lowered and he exhaled, "So this is it? I'm gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you more." You went to hug the boy; your face buried in his shoulder. "If it weren't for you I would be without a friend in the world. Thank you for that."

"Even if we didn't meet that day, I'm sure we still would have. I can't even imagine life without..." His words trailed off. "..Are you sure you don't want us to send you off at the boarder?"

You clenched the back of his shirt in your hands. Tightening the hug, you took a deep inhale before letting go. Your eyes looked into his for a moment as you shook your head. Your hands grabbed his face, and you placed a kiss on his cheek.

It was another apology and he knew it. An apology for what might happen while you were gone. An apology that you just couldn't bring yourself to speak.

You backed away once again and headed to the drivers seat of your car.

"Hey." Gladio called you, "When you're ready to come home... I will escort you back myself. You just say the word."

Comforting words, but that's all they were. It wasn't that simple to just come back home. Not only that, you would forbid him to ever do something so risky.

"Catch ya later." You gave one last wave before taking off.

You made sure to hit a couple of blocks before you let loose your tears. You didn't want that to be their last image of you. It was hard to stay strong, but you had to now. There was no more time. Soon you would be in Niflheim, and things were going to be much different.

It was scary to think of it like that. Hitting the road right now meant that by the time you reached the boarder, day should be breaking. You didn't want to run into any daemons. The sight of that Iron Giant wasn't something that would easily leave your memory. You didn't want to run into it, or anything similar.

This trip over would be long but straight to the point. Drive through Hammerhead and fill up. Take the ferry from Galdin Quay to Altissia. Pick up your weapons and gear in Altissia, and then take the train to the end of the line. With that plan in mind, you felt set with that checklist; secure even. In your head, it was now game time.

.

 **Hammerhead : 6:02am**

"Long time no see." You exited your vehicle that was currently parked by the gas pump.

Cindy smiled at you as she approached, "Now I didn't think I was gon see you again. Not this soon after all your talk about getting back home."

"You remember me?" You asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"Course I do." The blond girl nodded, "I don't forget faces. 'Specially not ones with a car so unique."

It was flattering that she remembered you. Honestly you were joking about the 'long time no see.' You did remember her, but you figured she helps so many people that you'd be forgettable.

"Here, lemme help you fill er up." Cindy grabbed the gas pump and began to fill up the car. Such a sweet and helpful woman she was.

"Cindy." You paused momentarily. "I didn't just come here to fill up my car. Or get it serviced."

"Well ya sure didn't stop by just to say hi did ya?" She tipped her hat slightly upwards to get a better look at you.

You shook your head, "I was wondering if you could tow my car... from Galding Quay?"

A very strange request, but one you hopped she wouldn't question too much. You had to think quickly. Speak before she could wonder why.

"I'm moving to Altissa for good. There's no need for cars there, and I can't just stay parked at Galdin. They will tow my car, but the problem with that is, if they tow me I won't know where."

The blond girl removed the nozzle and placed the pump back in its holder. "Well..." She spoke while twisting the gas cap back on. "Towing this beauty ain't the issue. The question is; how long are we gon keep her here? I don't mind it, but you've gotta ask Paw Paw."

Great. Another obstacle. You needed to make this quick. Although day just broke, you were burning through it quickly.

You walked over to the garage where the old man just sat. Maybe it was a coincidence that both times you visited Cindy was doing all the work? Or maybe that's just how things were.

"Hi." You gave a quick wave. "Um, you may or may not remember me. I'm the sad sap riding around in my dead aunt's car. Uh, yeah, so I was wondering if you mind towing my car from Galding Quay and then possibly keeping it here? You can have all the money in the trunk. 248,000 gil. Whatever it takes for you to keep it here... well, actually I need some money for other transportation, but whatever is left, you can keep it."

The old man looked up at you from his seat, "...Huh?" He rolled his eyes, "You always just spew everything out at once like that?"

"Only when I'm nervous." You mumbled. "Listen, I'm sorry. I'm kind of on a time crunch. I really need to hit the road."

Cid stood up, "This isn't some parking garage... but, I knew your aunt."

"What?! Are you sure?! Why didn't you say anything last time?! How do you know her?!" Your heart raced upon hearing the words.

"Calm down. She was a good customer of mine. Her license plate changes from Insomnia to Leide. Had me install it." He paced a bit before looking back at you. "Tell you what. The cost will be 1500 gil a month to keep it here. Deal?"

You couldn't do the math, but you'd agree to anything. 1500 gil multiplied by infinity. Sure. You just wanted the car to stay with people that you trusted. Even if they eventually came to strip the car, it was better than having it rust away in some strangers garage.

"Deal. I'll need it towed by tomorrow at the latest. Thank you." You nodded graciously before turning away to head back to your vehicle.

"You will come back for it won't you?" Cid asked in a tone that made you believe he knew what you were up to.

You nodded, "I hope so."

Hammerhead: check!

.

 **Galdin Quay : 10:56am**

You sat at the docks waiting for the ferry to arrive. Seemed like it was taking forever. Like you'd be waiting until the end of time. That small boat off in the distance didn't look any bigger, nor did it look smaller. Felt like that had been going on for the past hour. You had your suitcase by your feet. It was only filled with a bit of money, two pairs of clothes, and some hygiene products.

It was a nice relaxing view. One you wished you could share with the boys. One you wished you could share with your aunt again. Instead, you were sharing it with some stranger named Dino. You met him last time you were here. He was obnoxious then, and he's obnoxious now. Oh right! That just reminded you! You were having a conversation with him! Pay attention!

"So that's when I was like, no gems means no tickets." Dino looked at you for a response.

"Oh, no I get you. It's like uh... you scratch my back I scratch your back type of deal." You weren't paying attention at all. You just hopped by repeating the last bit of his sentence and putting them in other words he wouldn't notice.

The man paused and looked at you. His face was dead serious. "...Ahhh, see YOU get it." His eyes looked out at the water, "Looks like ya ferry is here. What was your name by the way?"

You paused with widened eyes, "Uh, my name is... uhhhh..."

"Dino!" A male's voice called from the upper level, "You sold me tickets for two weeks from now you bastard!"

The man shook his head, "Looks like I gotta handle a little buyer's remorse. See ya later kid."

You grabbed your suitcase and headed to the ferry. This trip to Galdin was cut quite short. You wondered if it would be greedy to stay in one of the rooms. Just one night wouldn't hurt, right? It wouldn't but you'd also feel like a cheater. Your aunt would never have allowed it. And now that Cor was your new messenger, you knew he would forbid it too.

Packing in, you took your seat and kept your suitcase in your lap. You felt like a runaway. Some vagabond child just trying to find her way in life. That's not how it was however. You knew where you belonged, and you were on a linear path.

Galdin Quay: check!

.

 **Altissia : 3:45pm**

It was dark and musty in this old place you trained. You wanted to spend as little time here as possible.

You were able to find your bow and grapple gun quickly. There was a bit of wear and tear, but it would only play into the backstory you thought of for yourself.

You retracted your bow and placed the grapple inside the suitcase. Lucky for you, there was no customs when boarding a train. Even from country to country. You wouldn't be questioned for carrying weapons. Even if you were, you had an excuse for that too.

You already struggled parting with everything you loved, so leaving behind a place you hated was simple.

Wheeling out your suitcase, you stepped back out into the town. Wasn't too far away; the big crowd. You just needed to go a bit south.

Seemed like the weight of this suitcase got a lot heavier since you packed in your bow and grapple. Funny, you always thought they were light weight.

You hauled it up the bridge, but on the way down, you tripped over your feet and your case was sent flying. Yup, your knee would definitely be bruised. Worst of all, it was in front of all these people. Shit, this was mortifying.

Your hands pressed flat against the ground as you were going to lift up, but you stopped as you saw a pair of boots in front of you.

Looking up, you were met once again by the paralyzing eyes of Ravus Nox Fleret. It was only the second time you saw him, but each time you felt so locked in place. Say something! Anything!

"Nice coat." Was all you could think to say?! Why were you still on the ground, you thought?

Whispers and chatter circulated through the crowd. Did you have any idea who you were speaking to? Did you know who's path you were blocking?

Finally rising to your feet, you maintained eye contact. You handed the man the clear umbrella you had tumbled down with. He made no effort to take it, so you stuffed it in the side of his arm.

"You might want to shield yourself. It'll be coming down soon." You nodded at the man and walked back to your suitcase..

Picking it up, you rolled through the crowd and toward the train. In your wake you left Ravus who was even more hard to read after having spoken to him.

You could still feel his eyes burning a hole in your back. Don't look! You told yourself not to, but you had to confirm your suspicion. Of course your intuition was spot on. The two of you briefly connected eye lines before you hastily turned back around.

Did he remember you from Tenebrae? Impossible! Your face was covered then and you hadn't spoken a word. Luna wouldn't tell. Then again, last you met all he could do was stare into your eyes. Maybe he was just like that.

You stood now outside of the train station. The clouds really were moving in. You looked up at the sky and you now began to regret leaving your umbrella.

A thought crossed your mind, should you stop in Tenebrae? To at least see Luna? It was a nice thought, but no. You even told Noctis the risk wasn't worth the reward.

It was a shame that a place so beautiful was associated with death. It would be hard enough riding through. Yeah, stopping in wasn't an option.

You could feel the rain begin to trickle down, but lucky for you the train had arrived. It was scary to think that once you got off this train it would be in Nifilheim.

Altissa: Check!

.

 **Train: 8:21pm**

It was difficult to think of all the things you left back home. This ride to Niflheim seemed to be going light speed. It was haunting.

You looked out the window and let out an exhausted sigh. You hoped the boys didn't miss you too much. It killed you to think of how hard it must have been for them to keep it together for that past week. Especially Prompto.

The sun was fully set, and all you could see was the dark night illuminated by the countless stars. It was the one thing that still connected you to back home, and you relished in it. Next stop... the end of the line.


End file.
